Early-morning commuters in Melbourne were on the receiving end of some “wisdom” from Pauline Hanson with a little orange book of the One Nation leader’s thoughts being handed out at train stations around the city on Wednesday.
But it turns out the book was not a One Nation product, but rather the novel idea of Trades Hall to remind voters of Hanson’s “war on workers”.
The book, Quotations From Pauline Hanson, was an orange-inspired version of Mao Tse-Tung’s “Little Red Book”.
The “little book of Hanson” offered up blasts from the past of some of her hot takes like: “A lot of workers are no-hopers”; “Right across the board, get rid of penalty rates and I’d also say get rid of the 17 per cent leave loading”; “You can’t sack people these days. They’re on their phones, they don’t work, they don’t turn up, they actually are lazy”; and “Why wouldn’t I listen to Gina Rinehart?”
Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari explained the aim of the book was to cut through Hanson’s spin.
“We should believe her when she says she wants to cut penalty rates, make the minimum wage even lower, and end paid parental leave,” Hilakari said.
“Pauline Hanson and One Nation have spent decades trying to turn neighbours against each other while sucking up to a West Australian billionaire. Between now and the last Saturday of November, we’ll make sure every Victorian knows it.”
But One Nation swiftly returned serve, dismissing the stunt as a sign that Labor was spooked by Hanson’s orange wave.
“You can tell they’re worried when they try on these tactics,” a spokesperson told CBD.
“It’s easy to take comments out of context and put them into a little booklet. I’m very happy to return serve and publish a ream-size booklet of lies told by the Labor federal and state governments.
“Wait until the royal commission into Victoria’s construction sector releases their findings. Holy moly, it’s going to be a doozy.”
As for One Nation’s plans for Victoria, Hanson is expected in Melbourne on Monday to unveil One Nation’s upper house team for the forthcoming state election. The party’s candidates are expected to be rolled out the following week.
“Big announcement Monday,” CBD was told. Watch this space.
Missing the action: Governor’s case of bad timing
In the term of being state governor, CBD figures there are a couple of key engagements you would not want to miss, particularly the swearing-in of a new premier.
So when Ben Carroll arrived at Government House on Tuesday to be officially crowned Victoria’s new leader after rolling Jacinta Allan in a bitter Labor Party meltdown, noticeably absent was Governor Margaret Gardner.
Lieutenant-governor James Angus stood in for Gardner. The reason for her absence? She was overseas on an official visit to the United States and Canada.
Gardner headed off on July 19 and is expected back in Melbourne early next week.
Her trip so far has included a lunch on AI and data centre investment co-hosted by investment management outfit Blackstone and the American Australian Association; a visit to the University of California, Berkeley; a visit to the Denver Art Museum to see The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art exhibition which is on loan from the National Gallery of Victoria; meetings with energy and technology companies; and not one, but two NFL and Friends of Victoria receptions – one in San Francisco and one in Denver. This NFL thing is getting bigger by the day.
More details of her handshaking engagements will be revealed in the coming days in her diary. We will be reading with interest.
Of course, Gardner, who swore in Allan when she became premier in late 2023, will have her chance again soon with a countdown to the November 28 state election.
Snake catcher eyes political zoo
Staying on Victorian politics, CBD could not help but notice the heavily logo-ed Liberal-blue ute belonging to reptile wrangler and Liberal candidate for Melton, Jarrod Bingham as it made its way along Collins Street on Wednesday bearing the number plate “VEN8M” and the slogan “Send the snake catcher to parliament”.
If he wanted to find snakes in Parliament House, he should have been there on Tuesday when Jacinta Allan’s government ate itself.
The Labor caucus where Allan was dethroned was memorably described to The Australian Financial Review by anonymous Labor MPs variously as a “debacle”, “unhinged”, “wild”, “sad” and “chaotic”.
Where is a wrangler when you need them!
Bingham confirmed when CBD called on Wednesday that he was behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak ute as it beetled around town, saying it had been sporting the decals for a couple of months.
He encouraged CBD to “keep an eye on Melton” in the upcoming election. OK!
Bingham, the deputy mayor of the Moorabool Shire Council, has had several cracks at state politics. He ran as an independent candidate for Melton in the 2018 and 2022 Victorian elections and for the federal seat of Hawke (in Melbourne’s outer west) in 2022 before swapping to the Liberals and gaining pre-selection in March for this year’s state election.
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