The Community and Public Sector Union Victorian Branch condemns the comments made by Pauline Hanson during her address to the National Press Club on Tuesday 17 June 2026.

Senator Hanson delivered a speech attacking ordinary Australians. Workers, women, public servants, journalists and multicultural Australia.

 Senator Hanson described Australian workers as "lazy", complained that workers are "on their phones, they don't work, they don't turn up", and argued for policies that would make it easier for employers to sack staff and weaken workplace protections.

 Workers are not a burden on the economy. Workers are the economy.

When workers get a pay rise, we spend it. We buy groceries, pay rent and mortgages, support local businesses and keep communities alive. Businesses need customers and customers need money. That is basic economics.

The idea that Australia's problems will be solved by keeping wages down and attacking workers' rights is not an economic strategy. It is an attack on working people.

Senator Hanson's comments about women are equally disturbing.

Women workers and their unions fought for paid parental leave. They fought for the right to have children without sacrificing financial security, workforce participation or independence. Paid parental leave is a workplace right. It is also a key contributor to women's economic security and safety.

Attempts to wind back paid parental leave are anti-worker and anti-woman.

The same is true of attacks on abortion rights. Women fought long and hard to secure control over their own reproductive healthcare. Those rights should not be dragged backwards to satisfy a political culture war.

Senator Hanson also used her speech to attack the public service.

This demonstrates a remarkable lack of understanding about how government functions. The people staffing ministers' offices are public servants. Her own office staff are public servants. The people preparing briefs and advice are public servants. The people recording parliamentary proceedings are public servants. The people delivering government services are public servants.

Every elected representative relies on the work of public servants every single day. To attack the public service while depending upon it entirely is nonsensical.

Senator Hanson also attacked journalists and media organisations. Good government requires scrutiny. It requires transparency. It requires journalists willing to ask difficult questions of powerful people. Media workers perform an essential public service and are held to standards of professionalism and accountability that Senator Hanson appears unwilling to apply to herself.

Yesterday, Pauline Hanson took a clear stand against working Australians and committed to making our lives worse.

And finally, the CPSU rejects Senator Hanson's attacks on multiculturalism.

Australia was built by migrants.

The workers who built our roads, staffed our hospitals, taught our children, cared for our elderly, strengthened our public services and helped build one of the most successful economies in the world came from every corner of the globe.

Multiculturalism is not a threat to Australia. It is one of Australia's greatest strengths.

Pauline Hanson is stale bad breath masquerading as a breath of fresh air.

The CPSU stands with workers, women, migrants, public servants and media workers against division, fear and scapegoating.

We will continue to defend workplace rights, public services, gender equality and a multicultural Australia built on solidarity, dignity and respect.