Italian restaurant cancels Pauline Hanson event following protest threats
Updated ,first published
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson promised to work with the future Coalition government in Victoria at a flashy fundraiser in Melbourne’s south, switching venues at the eleventh hour as anti-racism protesters chased the party across the city to gather outside.
Some demonstrators who had planned to rally outside the far-right party’s original venue in Melbourne’s north dispersed due to a last-minute venue change, but others flocked to cars to head south as news of the new venue began to filter in.
Victoria Police confirmed Giorgio Casa, the Italian restaurant at Moonee Ponds that was due to host the cocktail party on Friday night, canceled the event just hours before doors were due to open, but police said they were not aware of any threats to the venue.
Outside the event, one of the first protesters chanted “Nazi scum on our streets”, while Hanson took aim at Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, whose leadership has recently been threatened by anonymous rumors of a potential challenger.
“Look, the people will have their say in the next election,” Hanson said. “He will be judged on his performance as the chief minister of the state. But… He will fight to retain his seat, even to keep his seat, and I have heard rumors that they will remove him before the election.”
Hanson denied that protesters caused the venue change. “We had so many reservations, people wanted to come,” he told reporters outside.
“So that’s why we had to relocate. Do you think the protesters will deter me?”
Beside him, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce condemned the need for such a strong police presence. “So I thought we were coming to Melbourne and not Pyongyang,” he said. “This is a political debate. People are allowed to participate in it. We are a free nation, and you know.”
But while Hanson and Joyce were quickly ushered in, men in suits and women wearing their finest cocktails were forced to wait outside the venue as anti-racism protesters poured in from Moonee Ponds. Tickets for the event range from $200 to $500, while meet-and-greet tickets with Hanson and Joyce cost $2,000.
Some people outside held anti-Hanson signs and chanted: “No racists, no fear, Hanson not welcome here.”
“I wonder when they’ll open the bar,” laughed one guest. Guests erupted in cheers as the “Fire the Liar” bus aimed at Labor passed by, honking its horn.
The glitzy event saw some of One Nation’s most loyal supporters; these include Pauline’s daughter Lee Hanson, CEO of Hancock Agriculture and former premier of the Northern Territory Adam Giles, and Mark Nicholson, creator of the Please Explain cartoon.
Other guests included comedian Elliot Loney, Hanson’s chief of staff James Ashby and prolific home buyers. Block Danny WallisHancock Prospecting media consultant James Radford and One Nation’s only seat in the Victorian parliament, Rikki-Lee Tyrrell.
The event was organized by Virginia Gibson and her son Ben and George Mirabella. Gibson is the grandson of former prime minister Joseph Lyons.
Adoring fans lined up to take selfies with Hanson, who received a rock-star welcome from those who paid hundreds, and in some cases thousands, to see him.
He told the crowd he would work with the Coalition if One Nation won enough seats in the upcoming Victorian state election.
“I’m going to give you the opportunity to vote for someone other than the two major parties,” he said. “But I will work with a Coalition government because it is the toxic Labor government that needs to go.
“There’s an underground movement happening. People are saying, ‘We’ve got enough. We’re fed up,'” Hanson said. “We want change. And people come to me all the time and say, ‘Pauline, you are our last hope. Pauline, we want you to give us the future we’ve been crying out for.’ they say.
“And if it’s up to me and I give you my honest truth about what I’m going to do for you, I want grassroots Australians to represent you. I want you to be able to trust your representatives.”
One Nation received nearly 1,200 expressions of interest from people aged 19-94 who wanted to represent the party in the upcoming Victorian state election.
“All I see going on in this state is corruption, gangs on the street, crimes being committed, break-ins, car thefts. There is no respect for authority and our court system is doing nothing about it. You are wasting taxpayer dollars here.”
Event will mark the end of fundraising blitz for One Nation, and follows earlier protests outside other One Nation fundraisers in Perth.
Earlier in the day, Joyce had told a radio station that the left, which party members accused of trying to violate the rights of parliamentarians, wanted to walk the streets “undisturbed”.
“This is the home of the AFL and the seminal for that is our right and our freedom of political debate. And if we fail to achieve that, we are losing what Australia is,” he said. “This is ridiculous. If Carlton fans can hang around with Collingwood fans and they can both go to a pub and talk to Essendon fans, then why can’t we have a political event in Melbourne?”
Groups such as No Room for Racism, Victorian Socialists and Free Palestine Melbourne had planned to gather near the original fundraising venue “to kick Hanson out”. Some far-right figures online had talked about sending their own groups to defend the event.
The late door thief managed to reach the new location. While the event was in full swing, drumming and chanting protesters were suddenly swarmed by three neo-Nazis who ran out of the venue.
When asked why he came by this imprint, neo-Nazi Michael “Mickle” Nelson said: “I support One Nation here, yes. Australia for the White Man!”
Nelson and two other members of the now-outlawed National Socialist Network were quickly captured and executed by police after protesters charged at them, screaming for officers to arrest “Nazi scum.”
Nelson later reappeared just near the venue entrance as guests were leaving, but was quickly handcuffed and led away by police. Police at the scene did not say why he was arrested but Victoria Police has been contacted for comment.
The fundraiser was billed as a “special evening… and networking event” costing hundreds of dollars per person to bring together “business leaders, community figures and supporters seeking a stronger direction for Victoria.”
Moonee Valley Mayor Rose Iser said she was glad the event was not held at Moonee Ponds. “Moonee Valley has welcomed generations of immigrants who fled the horrors of war in Europe, Asia and Africa to provide their children and grandchildren with a peaceful lifestyle in Australia,” he said.
“I welcome business owners to use common sense and that this type of hatred and division is not welcome in Moonee Ponds or Moonee Valley.”
Melbourne has a particular history of protests against One Nation. In 1996, the year Hanson was first elected to the federal parliament, tens of thousands of people packed the Treasury Gardens to oppose the Queensland senator’s anti-immigration rhetoric (including his infamous declaration that Australia was “drowned by Asians”).
When Hanson officially launched the One Nation party at Dandenong Town Hall in 1997, protests outside the venue turned violent as demonstrators threw rotten fruit and bottles at party supporters and clashed with police.
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Sherryn Groch is a journalist covering crime for The Age. Email her at s.groch@nine.com.au or contact her securely on Signal @SherrynG.70.Connect with: X or email.
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