CANBERRA – Pauline Hanson, leader of One Nation, is scheduled to deliver her first formal speech at the National Press Club today, June 17, amid a surge in party support and intensifying scrutiny over the organization’s policy direction.
The appearance at the Canberra institution comes as Senator Hanson faces mounting pressure to define One Nation’s long-term vision for Australia. The National Press Club serves as a primary forum for political leaders to signal policy shifts and address the national media directly.
The timing of the address is complicated by recent remarks from fellow One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts. In a 2024 podcast interview, Roberts described the United States as “the world’s greatest terrorist organisation.”
These comments have prompted critics to question the party’s suitability for government, specifically regarding its potential impact on Australia’s foreign and defence policy. Hanson is expected to be pressed on whether One Nation would seek to shift Australia’s alignment with its ANZUS treaty partners and what approach it would take to future cooperation with the United States on security and intelligence sharing.
US-Iran Agreement and Middle East Tensions
Diplomatic friction has emerged between the United States and Israel following a US-Iran peace agreement, which Washington is promoting as a pathway to reduce regional escalation and protect global energy supplies. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah, stating that Syria should instead take responsibility for combating the group.
Despite the peace agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to maintain troop presence in Lebanon, insisting that any drawdown would embolden Hezbollah and undermine Israel’s security. Reports indicate that relations between Washington and Jerusalem are strained, with claims that the US has denied Israel access to the specific terms of the peace agreement, fuelling concerns within Israel’s security establishment about the extent of Iranian concessions and verification mechanisms.
For Australia, the deal and the resulting US-Israel tensions raise questions about how a future One Nation-influenced government would navigate competing expectations from key security partners, particularly if Canberra were asked to endorse or enforce sanctions relief, maritime security operations, or new rules of engagement in the region.
Oil Market Decline and Fuel Excise Review
Global oil prices have dropped below US$80 a barrel for the first time since March. This price correction follows increased market confidence that the US-Iran deal will alleviate long-term supply concerns and reduce the risk of disruptions through key shipping lanes.
In Australia, the Federal Government is reviewing current fuel cost relief measures. A decision is expected next week regarding the following:
- Whether to continue the temporary halving of the fuel excise.
- The status of various road user charges applied to heavy and light vehicles.
The fuel excise is a tax levied on petrol and diesel, typically used to fund road infrastructure and maintenance under the framework of the Fuel Excise Act. Treasury officials are weighing the short-term pressure on household budgets against the longer-term impact on revenue for major transport projects and repair backlogs, with state governments warning of a growing funding gap if the cut is extended.
How Hanson positions One Nation on the excise will be closely watched by fiscal conservatives and regional voters alike, particularly in outer-suburban and rural areas where motorists are highly exposed to fuel price movements and where the party has built much of its electoral base.
Media Sector Redundancies
The Australian media industry is facing a new wave of job losses, with recent cuts at Seven and Southern Cross Media underscoring the sector’s fragile business model as advertising migrates online and audiences fragment across streaming platforms.
A redundancy round at Seven has resulted in the departure of ten publicly identified newsroom staff in Sydney and Melbourne. The cuts have disproportionately affected female on-air personnel:
- Women: 9 departures
- Men: 1 departure
This follows a separate announcement from Southern Cross Media, which confirmed it will cut up to 300 positions across its operations, including in regional newsrooms that provide local reporting in communities with few alternative sources of original journalism.
Industry groups and media unions argue the losses will deepen existing gaps in coverage of state and federal politics, courts and regulatory decisions, particularly outside the capital cities. The shake-up also comes as the Australian Communications and Media Authority and policymakers consider whether existing media diversity and ownership rules remain adequate in an environment increasingly dominated by global technology platforms.
The Federal Government is expected to announce its decision on the fuel excise and road user charges next week. Hanson’s National Press Club appearance will therefore serve not only as a test of her party’s foreign and defence policy credentials, but also as an early indicator of where One Nation would sit on cost-of-living relief, infrastructure funding and the future of Australia’s embattled media landscape.
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