Pauline Hanson was unable to name the leaders of Indonesia and Japan when questioned about Australia’s regional allies, saying she could not remember. The exchange drew attention to the foreign-policy knowledge expected of senior political figures, particularly given Australia’s security and economic ties in the Indo-Pacific.

Hanson, the leader of One Nation, was asked during an interview to identify the leaders of the two countries but did not provide their names. Indonesia and Japan are significant Australian partners in areas including trade, defence and regional diplomacy, making the lapse politically notable.