Students Protest Pauline Hanson as Senator Calls Indigenous Australians Primitive

Hundreds of high school and university students held a National Day of Action against Pauline Hanson and the One Nation party on September 17, 2026. The demonstration began with a speakout at the University of Sydney's Quad Lawns before participants marched to St James station and the Queen Victoria Building. Protesters denounced Hanson as a "sexist, racist, homophobic bigot," citing her voting records on school funding, climate change, and the gender pay gap.

Speakers from the Australian Greens and Socialist Alternative linked Hanson's political agenda to the interests of billionaire donors such as Gina Rinehart. The march concluded with chants welcoming migrants and calling for the removal of far-right ideologies from Australian politics.

On the same day, Hanson sparked further community backlash after describing Indigenous Australians as the "most primitive race on Earth." Critics in public forums challenged the scientific and historical validity of the statement. Simultaneously, One Nation representative James Ashby barred the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from attending a party press conference in Melbourne, citing dissatisfaction with the broadcaster's coverage of the party.