Australia By Aussie, 32 Amesbury Avenue, Brisbane City (2026)

17/06/2026

MP Slams Calls for 'Monocultural' Australia, Defends Multicultural Identity
SYDNEY — State Member for Strathfield, Jason Yat-sen Li, has strongly rejected recent calls for Australia to become a "monocultural" society, labeling the rhetoric as an attack on the fabric of modern Australia.
In a statement responding to remarks made by Pauline Hanson, Li emphasized that Australia’s strength lies in its diverse cultural tapestry—from its food and languages to its family traditions.
"Modern Australia is defined by its diversity—it is yum cha, souvlaki, pasta, bibimbap, and banh mi. It is made up of millions of families who fully belong here," Li said. "We do not need a return to the divisive politics of the old White Australia policy. What we need is decency, respect, fairness, and belonging."

17/06/2026

For months, the conventional wisdom was that Pauline Hanson would eventually trip up — that she would self-implode, be caught out by some association or crack under the weight of sustained scrutiny. But her performance at the National Press Club in Canberra suggested something more uncomfortable. The One Nation juggernaut may not have peaked yet.

17/06/2026

Pauline Hanson has attacked Guardian journalist Sarah Martin for asking about the position Hanson’s daughter, Lee Hanson, holds in the party. Martin has written a string of stories about Hanson’s connections to mining billionaire Gina Rinehart and about use of taxpayer funds, and the One Nation leader has been caught on camera calling Martin a “nasty b*tch”.

17/06/2026

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson used a National Press Club address in Canberra to outline what a One Nation government would look like, presenting policies on immigration, energy, media, Indigenous affairs and social issues.

Hanson argued that Australia should become a “monocultural” society, reduce migration levels, support nuclear energy and expand the use of coal and gas. She also criticised multiculturalism, climate action, transgender rights and publicly funded media.

According to Hanson, a One Nation government would shut down SBS, significantly reduce the role of the ABC, cut the climate change and Indigenous affairs departments, increase regulation of artificial intelligence and challenge advice from the public service.

Some of Australia’s major international partners, including Britain, Canada, France and Germany, were described by Hanson as “S-holes”, which she linked to migration levels and social unrest.

During the speech, Hanson said: “In many respects, I haven’t changed, and neither has One Nation.”

She added: “Thankfully, Australians have woken up, for which I am grateful.”

The address lasted almost an hour and included a lengthy question-and-answer session. Hanson said media scrutiny of One Nation was part of the political process and claimed she welcomed that attention.

However, tensions emerged when Guardian Australia senior correspondent Sarah Martin questioned Hanson about her daughter, Lee Hanson, and her employment with a New South Wales One Nation senator while working in Tasmania.

Hanson accused Martin of having an “obsession” with One Nation, Gina Rinehart and Hanson herself, and warned the journalist could be excluded from future media events.

Later, Hanson responded to a question from SBS political editor Anna Henderson by saying Henderson would be out of a job if One Nation implemented its proposal to close SBS.

The article’s author, Tom McIlroy, argued that Hanson’s platform relies on strong ideological positions and would require greater scrutiny if One Nation maintains its current polling strength heading into the next federal election.

17/06/2026

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson used a nationally televised National Press Club address to promote key party policies, criticise multiculturalism, attack sections of the media and question Australia’s climate policies.

During the speech, Hanson argued that Australia should not be a multicultural society and claimed national identity was being weakened by what she described as radical Islam and increasing language diversity.

“We cannot be a multicultural society. We are a multiracial society, but we must be monocultural. Australians must live under the one cultural umbrella,” Hanson said.

Asked whether Australia was at risk of being “swamped by Muslims”, Hanson responded: “Not if I get any say in it.”

To support her argument, Hanson cited 2021 census data showing that 23% of Australians spoke a language other than English at home. She questioned how social cohesion could be maintained when people spoke different languages, although critics noted that many Australians who use another language at home are also fluent English speakers.

Hanson also renewed her criticism of climate policies, describing climate change as a “hoax”. She blamed climate policies for increasing energy prices and contributing to cost-of-living pressures.

Her proposed solutions included banning wind and solar farms, cancelling the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project, ending renewable energy subsidies, expanding fossil fuel use and building a nuclear reactor. Hanson did not rule out taxpayer support for nuclear energy projects.

The speech also featured a strong attack on the media. Hanson proposed defunding SBS and turning the ABC into a subscription service in capital cities.

She launched a personal criticism of Guardian Australia journalist Sarah Martin after being questioned about her daughter’s employment in the office of One Nation senator Sean Bell.

“I’ve never seen a person that’s such a trashy journalist, and what you put out all the time, you’ve got this obsession with constantly trying to pull down myself, my party, or Mrs [Gina] Rinehart,” Hanson said.

Hanson also told SBS political editor Anna Henderson that she would be “without a job” under her proposal to abolish SBS.

The One Nation leader said she welcomed greater scrutiny of her party as support for One Nation rises in opinion polls. However, she also argued that journalists should not attempt to “pile on” or “delegitimise” the party.

On abortion, Hanson called for a national debate and said current laws should be reconsidered.

“I’m not against people in circumstances – women that need to have an abortion for medical reasons, or for some circumstance, I’d rather educate women to use contraceptives than to go through an abortion. Too many abortions in this country,” she said.

The speech was briefly interrupted by a protest linked to Hanson’s opposition to recent minimum wage increases. The activist group GetUp later claimed responsibility for the banner protest.

When challenged about her voting record on workplace issues, Hanson defended her position by asking: “Is it really working for small business out there?”

The address highlighted several of One Nation’s major policy positions ahead of future political debates, including immigration, climate policy, media funding, abortion laws and workplace relations.

17/06/2026

Medical experts have criticised health policies proposed by One Nation, arguing they are based on misconceptions, fail to address real healthcare issues and could increase costs for taxpayers while reducing access to care for vulnerable Australians.

The party has pledged to withdraw Australia from the World Health Organization (WHO), abolish the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and transfer its essential functions to the federal health department. One Nation also wants photo identification added to Medicare cards.

Grattan Institute health program director Peter Breadon said some of the proposals appeared to be based on misunderstandings. He noted that the TGA is already part of the health department.

“Targeting an agency that is majority funded through cost recovery [fees and charges to pharmaceuticals], not through taxpayer funding, also doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Breadon said.

“So that really doesn’t stand up to even a very small amount of scrutiny.

“It just looks to me like an error.”

One Nation claims up to $3bn is lost every year through fraudulent Medicare claims and misuse. However, Breadon said the data cited by the party from the 2023 Independent Review of Medicare Integrity and Compliance related to provider non-compliance rather than fraud by Medicare users.

“They’re talking about an estimate of savings that has nothing to do with their proposal, and there’s not much evidence that consumer fraud for Medicare cards is a meaningful cost to government,” Breadon said.

“And if we did implement this policy of putting photo IDs on that, that does impose a lot of costs.”

Pauline Hanson previously attempted to introduce photo identification on Medicare cards through a Senate bill in 2019, but the legislation lapsed in 2022.

One Nation has also promised a royal commission into the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, opposes vaccine mandates and wants to review $3bn worth of medicines approved under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme during the pandemic.

Hanson has long opposed Covid-19 vaccination, refused to receive the vaccine and previously introduced legislation aimed at preventing discrimination against Australians who declined vaccination.

The party also wants Australia to leave the United Nations, the WHO and the Paris climate agreement, claiming the move could save up to $1bn annually.

Australian Medical Association president Dr Danielle McMullen criticised the proposal and said Australia benefits significantly from WHO membership.

“The World Health Organization plays an incredibly important role in global health and it is in Australia’s interests to continue to contribute to its work,” she said.

“We are part of a global community and health threats do not stop at national borders.”

McMullen and Breadon both stressed the importance of maintaining the independence of the TGA.

“Australian’s want to know their medicines are safe and clinically effective and the independent Therapeutic Goods Administration ensures this is the case,” McMullen said.

“Its independence means that the safety of the community is put first.”

Breadon warned Australia could face similar challenges to those experienced in the United States after the Trump administration withdrew from the WHO.

“When the US withdrew from the WHO, the Trump administration then proposed spending many times over what they would have saved to replace some of the functions that were lost.”

Former Howard government health policy adviser Terry Barnes said One Nation’s policies reflected elements of Donald Trump’s health agenda.

“I think there is imitation of Donald Trump’s health policy particularly in relation to the ‘make America healthy again’ agenda,” Barnes said.

“But certainly the Trump administration’s hostility to international health agencies is reflected in One Nation’s policy statement.”

Federal health minister Mark Butler also criticised the party’s proposals, describing One Nation as a “risk to Medicare and cheaper medicines”.

The criticism comes as One Nation continues to rise in opinion polls, with Pauline Hanson recently polling ahead of Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister in the latest Resolve Political Monitor.

16/06/2026

Victorian secondary school students will be limited to using digital devices for no more than two hours a day under new guidelines being developed by the state government.

Speaking at a press conference, Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said the guidelines would be released in the coming months following consultation with schools. He said he expected device use in secondary schools to be capped at two hours a day.

“There shouldn’t be any more than two hours. We want eyes up, screens down. A full reset in the classroom is so important – for behaviour, for calmness, for the students’ own mental health – the focus needs to be on the most important adult in the classroom, and that’s the teacher, and that’s why we are moving down this with a relentless focus on excellence inside every classroom.”

Carroll said the limit would be enforced strictly, although exemptions would be available for neurodiverse students who depend on technology and for students studying science and technology subjects.

He argued the policy is designed to support students’ wellbeing and learning outcomes. Carroll said the approach follows what he described as “world best practice” recommended by international experts.

“The big tech giants, their algorithms, they do not have these young people’s best interests at heart. They’re focused on eyeballs, and we’re focused on their minds and their hearts for the future.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan appeared alongside Carroll during the announcement. The proposed guidelines are expected to be finalised after consultation with schools in the coming months.

15/06/2026

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have welcomed the agreement announced between the United States and Iran, while urging continued restraint to prevent further escalation.

US President Donald Trump announced he had signed a deal earlier in the day and said the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened.

In a joint statement, Albanese and Wong said a full recovery from the impacts caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would take time. They also said the Australian government would continue to “do all we can to shield Australians from the worst impacts of this conflict”.

The leaders said Australia currently has more fuel in its reserves than ever before.

They stated: “Continued restraint and constructive engagement will be essential to prevent further escalation and secure a lasting agreement. We are pleased the agreement between the US and Iran includes steps to reopening the Strait of Hormuz …”

Albanese and Wong also called on all sides to use the opportunity created by the agreement to pursue peace through diplomacy.

They said: “We encourage all parties to use this opportunity to pursue a durable and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy. Iran must address longstanding concerns about its nuclear program and the threat it poses to international security.”

The Australian government noted that the full terms of the agreement have not yet been made public.

15/06/2026

Australia has welcomed the announcement of a peace deal aimed at ending the conflict between the United States and Iran and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong responded after US President Donald Trump and Pakistan announced an agreement intended to bring the conflict to an end.

Wong said Australia had consistently called for de-escalation throughout the crisis and supported efforts to reduce tensions in the region.

She said: “We welcome President Trump and Pakistan’s announcement of an agreement, including to reopen the strait of Hormuz. Australia has long called for de-escalation and an end to the conflict, including in Lebanon. As we have said, the longer this war goes on, the greater the impact will be.”

The Australian government views the agreement as an important step towards ending hostilities and reducing the broader regional consequences of the conflict.

The reported deal is expected to result in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most significant shipping routes, following months of heightened tensions linked to the conflict.

14/06/2026

Liberal frontbencher Jonno Duniam has announced he will leave politics before the end of the year, delivering another setback for the Coalition as it struggles in opinion polling.

The Tasmanian senator, first elected to parliament in 2016, said the decision had been under consideration for some time and was driven by family priorities rather than the Coalition’s political position.

“Where we’re at in the polls is irrelevant,” Duniam said on Sunday.

“It wouldn’t matter whether we were on the precipice of a landslide win or the doldrums of electoral defeat, I would be making the same decision I am today.”

Duniam, who serves as the opposition’s home affairs spokesperson, said he had informed Opposition Leader Angus Taylor of his plans. He said Taylor had asked him to complete the Coalition’s immigration policy work before departing parliament.

Taylor described Duniam’s retirement as a “great loss” for the Liberal Party, saying he was “intelligent, articulate and always across his brief”.

The announcement follows the decision by fellow Tasmanian Liberal senator Wendy Askew to leave the Senate after entering parliament through a casual vacancy in 2019.

Duniam said the Liberal Party’s leadership change earlier this year had contributed to his decision.

“When the leadership change came along, it started to really wear on me. It was less about direction and more about my personal energy levels, and to that end, that is why I made that decision,” he said.

The senator said he felt he was “letting down the team” but believed it was necessary to prioritise family after spending 25 years involved with the party.

“I am leaving the field of battle and leaving them on it, which is not a good feeling, but at the end of the day one has to make a choice,” he said.

“I’ve got three boys, I’ve got a family that I need to ensure have me around as well, and that’s why I made this decision.”

Federal Liberal president Tony Abbott said he was “very disappointed” by the decision but understood the pressures associated with public life.

Abbott said the Coalition needed “every hand on deck right now to save Australia from a terrible government and keep us our best selves”.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke described Duniam as one of the opposition’s “best and brightest”.

Duniam acknowledged his departure comes at a difficult time for the Coalition. Recent polling has pointed to growing support for One Nation, including a Redbridge Group/Accent Research poll published in May by the Australian Financial Review showing the party’s primary vote had surpassed both Labor and the Coalition for the first time.

The Coalition has also faced internal debate about how to respond to One Nation’s rise. Earlier this week, shadow minister Tony Pasin suggested the Liberal Party and One Nation should consider electoral arrangements to avoid contesting the same seats.

The proposal was rejected by Taylor, while Liberal senator James Paterson described the idea as “premature”.

Duniam also dismissed discussion of potential deals with One Nation.

“Because if we’re just going to wave the white flag and say that it’s over now [and] we’ve just got to do deals with others to get across the line, then we’re not doing our job properly,” he said.

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