Pauline Hanson’s first-ever – and perhaps only-ever – appearance at the National Press Club was always destined to be one of those political “moments”.

As theatre, the 90-minute performance (including the question-and-answer session) didn’t disappoint, although it will have shocked, indeed appalled, many. Some would be left scratching their heads about how Australian politics has come to this, with Hanson scaling the political heights, at least in the polls and (on recent tests) in votes. But we only have to look abroad and remember we follow the trends.

Here was Hanson off the leash, at least for the most part.

If you had to sum up Wednesday’s outing in one word, it would be defiant. Her resentment at being, over the years, written off, derided, often treated discourteously by the media and other politicians was on full display.

Every attempt has been made for years to silence me. In fact, there are always some people, usually a lot of people, who get offended by what I say or do, even offended by my very existence.

Every attempt has been made for years to silence me. In fact, there are always some people, usually a lot of people, who get offended by what I say or do, even offended by my very existence.

Now here she was, in the media den, and she would play it her way, on her terms.

Her anger, especially at journalists and some of their organisations, erupted in a very personal attack on a Guardian “trashy journalist” who’d written investigative pieces about One Nation and asked about her daughter Lee Hanson; in her pledge she’d scrap SBS and mostly defund the ABC and make it a subscription service; in her........

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