Anthony Albanese takes a brutal swipe at Pauline Hanson as she prepares to make history - and asks her an urgent question

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Pauline Hanson is set to make history as she prepares to deliver her first address to the National Press Club in Canberra since entering federal politics in 1996. The One Nation leader will take questions from the Canberra Press Gallery following her speech, marking a significant moment in her long political career. Prior to her appearance, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he hoped journalists would ask her about One Nation's opposition to his government's cost-of-living measures. 'One thing that I hope is asked at the Press Club is why One Nation is opposed to all of the cost-of-living measures that my Government has put in place,' Albanese said. He referred to policies including cheaper childcare, free TAFE, cuts to student debt, increased school funding and minimum wage rises. Pressed on whether he would watch Hanson's address, Albanese said he would not. 'I've got a busy day. So I'll leave that to the media,' he said. A reporter questioned him further: 'Will you watch the replay afterwards?' Albanese said he had other plans: 'I'll be watching the State of Origin tonight. And I'm sure that will be much more fulfilling.' You can watch Hanson's address live here from 12.30pm. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed what he hopes journalists ask Pauline Hanson as she prepares to make a historic appearance at the National Press Club in Canberra. Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday, Albanese criticised One Nation for opposing key cost-of-living measures introduced by his government and failing to represent working Australians. 'One thing that I hope is asked at the Press Club is why One Nation is opposed to all of the cost-of-living measures that my Government has put in place,' Albanese said. He referred to policies including cheaper childcare, free TAFE, cuts to student debt, increased school funding and minimum wage rises. 'They were opposed by the three right-wing parties,' he said, adding that recent comments from Hanson had raised concerns about workers' rights. 'I saw an interview from the One Nation leader where she was talking about making it easier to sack people and concerned about the minimum wage increases.' Albanese defended his government's economic agenda, saying it prioritised households under pressure. 'What we've done in difficult economic circumstances is to make sure that we continue to prioritise cost-of-living measures. That's what good government looks like,' he said. He said effective government required collaboration across sectors, highlighting partnerships with business and not-for-profit organisations. 'Working with the private sector, working with organisations like not-for-profits … making a difference to people's lives and to make a difference for the country - that is what we are doing.' The Prime Minister also criticised One Nation's broader political record, arguing the party had spent decades 'talking about battlers but never representing battlers'. 'They stand for dividing Australia, not uniting Australia,' he said. 'They stand for cutting workers' wages and entitlements, not improving living standards.' Albanese further said the party had inconsistencies between its rhetoric and funding sources, saying it spoke about regional Australians while accepting support from 'the big end of town'. Pressed on whether he would watch Hanson's address, Albanese said he would not. 'I've got a busy day. So I'll leave that to the media,' he said, adding he would instead be watching the State of Origin. 'I'll be watching the State of Origin tonight. And I'm sure that will be much more fulfilling.' Pauline Hanson will address the National Press Club for the first time. It's the ultimate insiders club at the centre of Canberra's political and media establishment. For three decades, Hanson has survived on the outside of politics and, according to the latest polls, she is now thriving there too. The Queensland senator is the preferred prime minister, ahead of both Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor, recent polling reveals. One Nation's primary vote is higher than that of both major parties. So will Hanson use her speech today to put some meat on the bones of her policy ideas? Or will she simply expand her attacks on the majors, using anti-establishment politicking to continue her ascent? Hanson's appeal has never relied on costings or carefully calibrated policy design. It's built on grievance: a potent weapon when voters feel abandoned or betrayed by political insiders. Voters are angry about housing, migration, and power prices, not to mention broken policies on tax. They are angry at being told the economy is strong while their lives get harder, and furious with a political class more focused on policing language than fixing problems, including the bloated size of government. Today isn't a test of whether she can suddenly become conventional. If she did, she might lose her potency. The real question is whether she intends to flesh out the One Nation platform. Doing so would signal that Hanson sees her current surge not as a fleeting protest, but as a durable realignment that needs to take the next step. It would show she understands that overtaking the Coalition and threatening Labor fundamentally changes the scrutiny her party will likely face in the 18 months leading to the next federal election. But it is far from clear such scrutiny would bring her undone, even if policy details remain scarce. One Nation's policy cupboard isn't bare. The party is pitching to halve the fuel excise, legislate income splitting for families, provide tax relief for self-funded retirees, make beer cheaper by cutting the excise, offer higher Medicare rebates, and deliver a 20 per cent cut to electricity prices. Doing all of that won't be cheap. So far One Nation simply says cutting bloated government is where they will find the dollars necessary to make it happen. On housing and immigration, Hanson demands drastic cuts to the intake and crackdowns on foreign ownership. On energy, it wants to scrap the net zero target altogether, and back coal, gas and nuclear power. There is plenty to entice supporters to Hanson's cause, but there is also plenty to interrogate. But demands for details - including getting her policies costed by the official Parliamentary Budget Office - would carry more weight if Albanese was not refusing to treat One Nation like the parliamentary force it has become. One Nation has reached the threshold where other minor parties like the Greens are granted the staff, resources, and party-room status necessary to function effectively. The prime minister's refusal to extend this recognition to One Nation looks petty and, worse, it hands Hanson a ready-made excuse not to play by the rules on costings. Albanese cannot withhold the tools required for serious parliamentary work, then complain the work hasn't been done. Labor can't demand intense scrutiny of One Nation, while pretending its numbers don't warrant official party resources. This makes today's speech more than mere theatre. Hanson could easily run through her standard hits: Albanese has failed, 'fire the liar', the Coalition is weak, elites are sneering, the media only care about gotcha questions, and only One Nation is listening to real people. It would generate social media clips and energise her base. Anthony Albanese cannot withhold the tools from One Nation that are required for serious parliamentary work, then complain the work hasn't been done But Hanson has the chance to do something far more compelling. She can prove that One Nation's rise is not just an accumulation of anger, but the foundation of a serious alternative in the making. Her target audience today isn't her rusted-on base, nor her Canberra critics baying for blood. It is the disillusioned voter who has lost faith in the establishment but still needs to know if One Nation is merely a protest vote or a genuine governing force for the future. They know what Hanson is against. Today's speech should focus on what she is for. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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