One Nation leader Pauline Hanson this week claimed there was 'a concerted effort by some in the media to constantly take my comments out of context'.
Hanson's blame game
According to the One Nation leader, it is not Hanson herself who is to blame for her string of bad headlines, but the media's fault. On Thursday she posted audio of a domestic violence exchange and claimed 'there is a concerted effort by some in the media to constantly take my comments out of context'.
The One Nation leader criticised 'journalistic integrity' and drew links to job cuts at the Nine newspapers. 'I'm growing less tolerant of many journalists within the MSM [mainstream media] and so too are the public,' she wrote.
Trump-style tactics
This week shows Hanson and One Nation are leaning further into Donald Trump's fallback method of blaming journalists when the consequences of their own remarks or actions spawn an entirely predictable controversy. Hanson has 'banned' Guardian Australia, along with the ABC and others, from her public appearances.
It works for Hanson politically to pick fights with the 'mainstream media', positioning her as an anti-establishment outsider. But Hanson, on current figures, could be the official opposition leader after the next election, demanding the same level of scrutiny given to Labor or Liberal leaders.
Recent controversies
This predictable cycle has come into focus in the last fortnight amid blunders from Hanson's European holiday. Hanson raised the end of the White Australia policy when asked by Tommy Robinson about 'how have you ended up with Pakistanis, Somalis, all of these African problems?' That was simply 'fake news', Hanson said.
Backlash over her decision to give Robinson a cosy interview and accompany him on a UK road trip? Seven's Spotlight pushed for it, according to Hanson, Barnaby Joyce and One Nation chief of staff James Ashby. Seven sources said the podcast was instigated by One Nation.
Hanson's deputy Malcolm Roberts accused media of 'selective cherry picking and dishonest distortions' when his own past comments about conspiracy theories resurfaced.
Domestic violence comments
On Wednesday and Thursday, as criticism grew over her domestic violence comments, Hanson posted a written excerpt and full audio clip of the interview, claiming media had 'decided to use only a few quotes'. But the quotes had already been published at length by the Guardian, ABC, Nine newspapers, News.com.au and more.
Hanson claimed it was 'untrue' that she had downplayed domestic violence. Ashby on Sky accused media of taking a 'five second clip' rather than a '30 second clip'. Experts including the Women's and Girls' Emergency Centre have called out Hanson's rhetoric, with CEO Nicole Yade branding the comments 'vile and shameful'.
Hanson has spoken of being prime minister one day and dragging One Nation from the fringes to become a mainstream party. But the perks of popularity also come with responsibilities – including being responsible for your actions and the words that come out of your own mouth.
