Could Secret Harbour set the stage for Hanson’s greater ambitions?

July 22, 2026 — 6:46am

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The Pauline Hanson who fronted a full house at Crown Perth’s Grand Ballroom on Tuesday morning was not the Pauline Hanson we all expected.

After her incendiary appearances in Britain alongside the far-right agitator Tommy Robinson and her firebrand turn on the Seven current affairs program Spotlight, Perth was bracing for the One Nation leader to come out all guns blazing.

However, Senator Hanson’s performance at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters breakfast event was controlled, purposeful, free of controversy (by her standards), leaving her sounding like one of those dreaded establishment figures she’s seeking to slay, Odysseus-like, in the upcoming battle for Australia’s hearts and minds.

Instead of leaning into the positions that have been her boilerplate for months, Hanson spoke at length about Western Australia, both celebrating the state as the country’s economic engine and outlining the challenges we face and the factors holding us back.

After the breakfast, the press pack........

© WA Today