Pauline Hanson is out to obliterate the Coalition. These two MPS are standing up to her |
Pauline Hanson is out to obliterate the Coalition. These two MPS are standing up to her
April 2, 2026 — 5:00am
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On the day Matt Canavan was elected National Party leader, he launched a stinging critique of Pauline Hanson’s failures as a politician – except in the exploitation of grievances, where she excels.
It was the first time in a long time that a conservative politician – one with as much cred in the right-wing stratosphere as Canavan, through his unrelenting opposition to net zero, abortion and same-sex marriage – had dared point out that in 30 years, Hanson had not delivered a single dam, road, or hospital.
Canavan won praise from unexpected quarters, including from people he would have once considered opponents.
However even he was not spared the wrath of the shrinking, ageing, raging Coalition membership, whipped up by the Sky After Dark mob, who flooded his office and party headquarters to insist Canavan stop criticising One Nation. He showed on Wednesday when challenging One Nation on its water policy – a key issue in the Farrer byelection – that he won’t retreat.
Fellow conservative, Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie, has been subjected to similar treatment, again partly driven by the SAD mob that now exalts Hanson. He also pledges not to retreat.
This madness has gone on for too long. Australia can no longer rely on Trump’s America
Shaun CarneyColumnist
Canavan, Hastie and all leaders and aspiring leaders should never shrink from telling people what they don’t want to hear. Nor should politicians........