Pauline Hanson on Channel 9's Midday Show
13th March 1998

See also Kerry-Anne Kennerley's interview with John Pasquarelli a few weeks ago...

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Welcome back to Midday. It’s been nearly two years since the independent member from Oxley divided the nation by speaking her mind on issues ranging from Aboriginal welfare to Asian immigration. Her One Nation party continues to really stir up passions and polarise the views of most Australians. Today she is in Sydney to kick off her 1998 One Nation campaign. Please welcome Pauline Hanson."

(Pauline Hanson enters)

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Welcome to Midday Pauline."

Pauline Hanson: "Thank you very much."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Well tonight as I mentioned, you kick off your One Nation campaign. Do you have any new messages? "

Pauline Hanson: "There are a lot of messages out there Kerri-Anne. I think the biggest message that I want to tell Australians is that we are in trouble, very big trouble. Since I have been in this job it has been a very big learning experience for me. I was concerned about the unemployment. I was concerned about the future of my children, but since I have been in there when I see what is happening to this country I am very, very concerned and I am trying to say “Wake up Australia, take an interest”. Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "So what are the key points you will be making this evening? "

Pauline Hanson: "Informing the Australian people about what is actually happening to our country. Just recently in a press conference in January I talked about the multilateral agreement on investment. I am very, very concerned about that an the secrecy that the government has used to keep it from the Australian people. Also with a lot of our Australian industry you have got the citrus industry, you’ve got pork, you’ve got the textile industry, you’ve got the timber, you’ve got the beef they’re all on their knees. They are in so much trouble and constantly you’ve got so much of our industry being lost to overseas countries so that you’ve got our own people becoming unemployed."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "So how will Pauline Hanson: fix those problems?"

Pauline Hanson: "What I would like to do is rejuvenate industry and manufacturing back here in Australia. Let’s get those jobs back here where they belong. Around about 90% of corporate Australia is foreign owned. The largest in the world. If you look at America it is around 10% yet if you look at Australia its about 90%. Foreign investment, they keep criticising me because of foreign investment. Foreign investment is okay, but I do not like foreign control and that’s what has happened to Australia."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "In terms of getting manufacturing going where does immigration fit into that?"

Pauline Hanson: "With immigration I would like to put a halt to all immigration just work on a “0” net basis. We have got about 30 to 40 thousand people that leave our shores every year. Replace those, but bring in people who are not going to be a drain on our society. People who can start jobs or industry or people who can bring money into this country. But we cannot just bring people more people into this country. There are no jobs and the real figures came out the other day. Unemployment is estimated to be at about 19%. That is over 2 million people."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "The latest poll says that One Nation support has dropped from an all time high of 13.5% to just 4.5%... that was in February. What does that tell you?"

Pauline Hanson: "Kerry I don’t believe it. Now I move around the country. All over Australia and the support I receive from Australians is overwhelming. I can be in a shopping centre pushing a shopping trolley around and they will come up to me or in the airports or wherever, even in Parliament House the children who come up to me. Just yesterday I had a thirteen year old that rang me and say “I think you are absolutely fantastic in what you are doing.” So the support is there. The only true poll is going to be through the ballot box on voting day."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Your rallies are always surrounded with a lot of emotion whether they be supporters or protesters. Tonight you start at the Australian Jockey Club. What are you expecting in terms of emotion there tonight?"

Pauline Hanson: "There is a lot of emotion from both sides by all means. There is a lot of emotion from supporters who want to have the right to listen to what I have to say because they have been stirred enough to be really concerned about the future of their country because they are so disillusioned by both the Liberal and the Labor party that they don’t see them as the answer to Australia’s problems and they don’t see them as speaking for the concerns of the Australian people. I’m trying to inform Australians out there - take an interest. Take an interest in your country and your future. Don’t let the politicians down there think that they can do whatever they want to do because it is only from the Australian people. Keeping them on their toes, asking them answers for their questions.. that they will get real true government."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Well tonight at the AJC are you expecting trouble?"

Pauline Hanson: "Well I hope not, I hope that people will come and take the trouble to come and listen, then take the time to make up your own mind. I have had protesters who have walked in, come in and listened and walked out of there as One Nation members."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "But last year you even took the steps of recording a last will and testament parts of which were played on television. Are you still afraid of being murdered?"

Pauline Hanson: "A lot of people have put their faith in me to be their voice in parliament. The real possibility is yes I am saying a lot of things, and I am upsetting a lot of people out there..."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "(interrupting) ... Are you still getting death threats?"

Pauline Hanson: "As far as it goes the police give me protection because they believe that there is real threat out there against me. I don’t ask for it, I don’t ask for anything. But because of my circumstances I have been given this protection... now.. I really don’t want to go into this..."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "(interrupting) ... But it must be, doesn’t matter what your job is, it must be awful day by day to live in fear of your life is an awful way to live."

Pauline Hanson: "Kerry..."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "(interrupting) I mean you came here today with seven security, we don’t even get that for Priscilla Presley."

Pauline Hanson: "Laughs..."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "I mean that must be an awkward way to live your life 24 hours a day."

Pauline Hanson: "Kerry, you know why? Because I believe in this country as much as I do and I believe in the Australian people and because I am sick of seeing these bully boy people... these people who are there for their own benefits, looking after their own back pockets and don’t care about this country... and as long as I am in the position to be a voice for the people... no I am going to keep on saying what I believe the Australian people have a right to know."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Well it is a tough call, especially in politics, a Liberal member for Swan, Donald Randall, had a lot of words to say about one Cheryl Kernot. He in fact started with her past affair with a school student and linked her with Gareth Evans. I would like you to have a listen to this..."

Tape playing from Parliament..."

Donald Randall: Does this affection to extend to the member for Holt we often wonder, now is she honest? She is about as honest as Christopher Skase and Nick Bolkus. Is she loyal? She is about as loyal as Benedict Arnold and she has the morals of an alley cat on heat. So the people of Swan and Dixon should be aware of the real Cheryl Kernot and reject her..."

Speaker interrupts... The Honourable member... "

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Well that was last night in parliament Donald Randall referring to Cheryl Kernot. What’s your response to that?"

Pauline Hanson: "No I don’t accept that sort of treatment to another parliamentarian. Look I have copped it in parliament myself. Every time I get up to ask a question, I get heckled, they say “Please Explain”, they say turn your backs on her and all the rest of it."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Those comments were particularly personal."

Pauline Hanson: "Very personal."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "I mean accusing her of being with Gareth Evans.. linking her personal behaviour of twenty years ago. Do you think that is happening because she is a female in parliament?"

Pauline Hanson: "I wouldn’t doubt it.. that it is because she is a female, but that doesn’t justify the fact that it should not be dished out on anyone whether it is Cheryl Kernot or any other male or any other female. You do not get personal. You are there to do a job and your personal life has got nothing to do with it."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "We have over the last few days asked our audience to give you some questions and you have been gracious enough to be willing to answer them. We have polled our audience and have written them down. If we can move through.. this is the first one: It is signed by Julia from Caringbah and she asks “Do you have any aspirations of becoming the first female Prime Minister or President?"

Pauline Hanson: "No. No not at all. I love this country very, very much . I am just so honoured to be the member for Oxley and the point is I just want to have an influence, I just want to have a voice in parliament. My ambitions are not to be Prime Minister. I just hope that we get enough candidates up to make the government more accountable."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "List ten things that you can say that are positive about yourself... and this is from Jean.. let’s make it easy let’s make it five."

Pauline Hanson: "I try to be honest with people... be straightforward... I’ll look you straight in the eye and I’ll tell you whether I agree with you or not ... I don’t make promises I can’t keep... oh, how many is that?"

(Laughs)

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "That’s two no we’ll give you three... put yourself on a personality list, so you’re honest, straightforward, you look someone in the eye."

Pauline Hanson: "I try and be loyal to people and I genuinely care about people. I’ll go out of my way to help anyone."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Okay that’s it. Now this one is from John... he asks “What is the best way to deep fry chips?”"

Pauline Hanson: "(and audience) Laughing... I love that one."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Can I tell you everybody in the office wants to know what is best way to get the, you know, the really good chippies?"

Pauline Hanson: "What you have got to do is have the oil really hot then put your chips in first an blanche them. Then you pull your chips out and let your oil reheat again and let your chips cool down a bit and then you cook them a second time. That’s what the secret is - you don’t cook them all at once the first time.."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Oh all right... we’ve got this. We like it (Audience claps). Our cooking tips from Pauline. You blanche them first, this is very important, take it out, let it reheat and put them in again."

Pauline Hanson: "Ahh look I had a constituent come into the office one time - he had an appointment and he said I have just opened up a new business. How do you cook real good fish and chips? I said, “You are absolutely wonderful. I love you... What a nice change from politics”."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Question from Lyn: Do you think that we are so politically correct that we are afraid to comment? What can we do about it? What are we going to do about it?"

Pauline Hanson: "Someone asked me to put up a slogan on his wall at this cafe and I said that the best would be to put one up saying “Why am I the most politically incorrect person and loving it?” And this is what we have really got to do. Get back to basics and say what you really mean I think that the way we have gone is that you can’t say chairman you have got to say chairperson you can’t say manhole it’s got absolutely ridiculous.. let’s get back to basics..."

(Audience claps and cheers)

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "You are certainly getting endorsement there. Let’s get to the last one... we have got literally dozens here. The last one we will wrap it up on.. This is a more difficult one I will give you notice Pauline, “If one of your children were to be involved romantically with an Asian person would you feel comfortable about their relationship?” signed by Louise."

Pauline Hanson: "I have no problem whatsoever I could not care what nationality the person is and the thing is it is their life. All you care about as a mother is that they are happy and secure within themselves and it has nothing to do with the colour of their skin or their nationality, it is the person inside. I would be more concerned about what sort of person they are inside."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Well tonight an overall perception of the meeting at the AJC.. the Australian Jockey Club.."

Pauline Hanson: "I am hoping for a good response from people here in Sydney over the next four or five days while I am here. All I ask is for people to come and listen to me personally. After you have heard what I have got to say then make up your mind and if you don’t agree, look I can’t expect everybody to agree with what I am saying but please listen and also I’m saying come and listen to what is happening to our country take an interest or it will get to the stage where your voice will no longer be (heard)."

Kerry-Anne Kennerly: "Refers to Pauline’s itinerary. We would like to thank you for your time. Ladies and gentlemen, Pauline Hanson."

Return to Australian National News of the Day