Pauline Hanson interrupts One Nation candidate when he answers a question in Japanese: ‘Excuse me’
Pauline Hanson interrupted newly announced One Nation candidate Mike Newman after he answered a journalist’s question in Japanese at a press conference in Singleton, telling him that others would appreciate English. Newman is set to lead the party’s New South Wales campaign and contest Cessnock, making the exchange notable given Hanson’s past comments on multiculturalism and Asian immigration.
Newman, a former NSW trade commissioner to Japan and Korea, said his Japanese wife and Indian business partners meant he did not view One Nation as racist. He proposed cutting payroll tax, including abolishing it in regional areas, and said the party would focus on living costs, housing and regional industries; Stuart Bonds will lead its upper-house ticket. Labor MP Jenny Aitchison criticised the candidates’ record on Hunter train manufacturing, while the NSW election is scheduled for 13 March 2027.
In short
- Hanson told her candidate to answer in English.
- Newman will contest Cessnock for One Nation.
- The NSW election is due in March 2027.
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The case for
Hanson could reasonably argue that a press conference should be accessible to the wider audience present, and that asking Newman to answer in English helps journalists and listeners follow the exchange. As party leader, she may also want candidates to keep attention on the party’s policies and avoid a language choice being seen as excluding people.
The case against
Newman could reasonably argue that answering in Japanese was a courteous way to engage with the questioner and reflected his experience in Japan, rather than an attempt to exclude others. The interruption may appear inconsistent with One Nation’s choice to present him as a candidate despite the party leader’s past criticism of multiculturalism, and could raise questions about how the party welcomes cultural diversity.
Explained simply
One Nation is a minor Australian political party led by Pauline Hanson, whose past comments on multiculturalism and immigration have drawn criticism. It is preparing for the New South Wales election, scheduled for 13 March 2027.
Mike Newman, a former New South Wales trade commissioner to Japan and South Korea, is the party’s candidate for Cessnock and will lead its state campaign. Stuart Bonds is set to lead its upper-house ticket; the state parliament has two chambers, and the upper house is one of them.
The exchange drew attention because Hanson has often spoken critically about immigration from Asia, while Newman has cited his Japanese wife and Indian business partners in rejecting claims that One Nation is racist. The campaign also touches on regional jobs and industry, including debate over train manufacturing in the Hunter region.