Hanson tells star One Nation candidate to stop speaking Japanese – as it happened
News Source
•Fri, 28 Aug 2026 06:13:44 GMT
📰 What Happened
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson told her new star candidate to stop speaking Japanese at his unveiling. Mike Newman, a former NSW trade commissioner, is the party's lead candidate for the March 2027 state election. He will run in the Labor-voting seat of Cessnock in the Hunter Valley.
At a press conference in Singleton, Newman answered a question from foreign media in Japanese. Hanson told him everyone else might appreciate English. Newman then translated his answer.
Newman admitted he had not lived in NSW for 25 years. He refused to say whether he would move to the seat. He dismissed suggestions his party is racist, noting his wife is Japanese and his business partners are Indian.
🔍 The Backstory
Hanson is famous for her 1996 parliamentary speech warning Australia was in danger of being swamped by Asians. She has long pushed for a monoculture and tighter immigration. The episode drew attention because of that history.
Newman is an investment banker who worked as NSW trade commissioner. One Nation chose him to lead its NSW campaign before the state election. Cessnock is a coal-mining town that has traditionally voted Labor.
The same live blog covered bigger news of the day. It included the rising number of Australians missing in Nepal floods, new voluntary assisted dying laws in the NT, and a dolphin dying from bird flu in South Australia.
🎯 Why It Matters
This awkward moment shows how immigration and culture wars still drive Australian politics. One Nation's candidate choices matter because they shape the party's message. It also shows how quickly a press conference can go wrong.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson told her new star candidate to stop speaking Japanese at his unveiling. Mike Newman, a former NSW trade commissioner, is the party's lead candidate for the March 2027 state election. He will run in the Labor-voting seat of Cessnock in the Hunter Valley.
At a press conference in Singleton, Newman answered a question from foreign media in Japanese. Hanson told him everyone else might appreciate English. Newman then translated his answer.
Newman admitted he had not lived in NSW for 25 years. He refused to say whether he would move to the seat. He dismissed suggestions his party is racist, noting his wife is Japanese and his business partners are Indian.
Hanson is famous for her 1996 parliamentary speech warning Australia was in danger of being swamped by Asians. She has long pushed for a monoculture and tighter immigration. The episode drew attention because of that history.
Newman is an investment banker who worked as NSW trade commissioner. One Nation chose him to lead its NSW campaign before the state election. Cessnock is a coal-mining town that has traditionally voted Labor.
The same live blog covered bigger news of the day. It included the rising number of Australians missing in Nepal floods, new voluntary assisted dying laws in the NT, and a dolphin dying from bird flu in South Australia.
This awkward moment shows how immigration and culture wars still drive Australian politics. One Nation's candidate choices matter because they shape the party's message. It also shows how quickly a press conference can go wrong.