One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts has come under intense scrutiny after a series of resurfaced conspiracy-related comments, including claims that Covid-19 vaccines were bioweapons and that a cabal of ultra-elite figures is behind the global shift towards green energy. Roberts, 71, the longest-serving One Nation member after party leader Pauline Hanson, has long espoused various conspiracy theories, but his views have gained renewed attention as the party surged in polls over the first half of 2026.
Roberts' conspiracy claims resurface amid political pressure
In a June podcast, Roberts claimed without evidence that Covid vaccines were “killer bioweapons” and that the US defense department had a “major say” in their control and development. In another podcast in November 2025, he asserted that the United Nations and the World Economic Forum were destroying democracies by doing the bidding of ultra-wealthy asset managers to create a “new world economic order.” Roberts also praised US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones as a “beacon of hope” in 2024 and lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin after his invasion of Ukraine.
The Queensland senator has also promoted chemtrail conspiracy theories, stating in an interview transcript that it was “highly likely” the US military was conducting chemtrail trials—spraying toxic chemicals to manipulate weather or control populations—though he acknowledged he had no evidence.
One Nation's poll surge and leadership under fire
One Nation briefly surpassed the Coalition and Labor in polls during the first half of 2026, though support has slipped slightly in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Pauline Hanson faces pressure over a “fact-finding” mission to the UK, where she met with far-right activist and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson. She was also photographed on a Mediterranean trip with Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart.
Senior Liberal figures have been quicker to condemn Roberts than Hanson, as One Nation plunders their supporters. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said, “There’s a long list of things that [Roberts] said. The question here for Pauline Hanson is: what is she going to do about it? She’s over in Italy right now living it up.”
Roberts defends himself against media criticism
Roberts responded to media reports on social media, criticizing them as “selective cherry picking and dishonest distortions by mainstream media to mislead Australians on behalf of their uniparty mates.” He added, “First they came for Pauline [Hanson]. Then they came for Barnaby [Joyce]. Now it’s my turn.”
In other podcasts, Roberts claimed that the world’s three largest asset managers—BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street—control major world events behind the scenes and were responsible for starting the Covid pandemic. He also stated, “These countries think that they’re democracies. They’re not. They’re controlled by the media, controlled by the big banks, controlled by Blackrock, Vanguard, State Street.”
Roberts' long history of fringe beliefs
Roberts’ advocacy of fringe beliefs predates his time in parliament. A former mining engineer, he was a project leader for the Australian climate-denial group the Galileo Movement. In 2011, he sent a pseudolegal affidavit to then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard demanding exemption from the carbon tax. In his maiden speech in September 2016, Roberts praised the UK’s Brexit referendum and called for Australia to leave the UN, stating, “Australia’s values and way of life are also at risk from insidious institutions such as the unelected swill that is the United Nations.”
Shadow Industry Minister Andrew Hastie, increasingly critical of One Nation, said, “Pauline Hanson wants to be prime minister of this country, so her and her team deserve proper scrutiny. And when you find out that people like Senator Malcolm Roberts are talking about chemtrails and other sorts of odd things, they’re not really focused on delivering good economic solutions for Australian people to improve our standard of living.”
