Senator Pauline Hanson

One Nation Senator

Pauline Hanson (nee Seccombe) was born in Brisbane in 1954. Pauline has 4 children and 2 grandchildren. Her first husband was a Polish refugee who migrated to Australia with his mother in the early 50’s. In 1978, Pauline and her second husband Mark, started their own plumbing business, employing apprentices and tradesmen, until her divorce in 1987. That same year she bought a small business takeaway, which she ran for 10 years until 1997, and was also a small cattle producer. In 1994 Pauline entered politics for the first time and was elected as a councillor on the Ipswich City Council till 1995.

In the August 1995 she joined the Liberal Party, was endorsed as their candidate for the Federal seat of Oxley in November. Pauline was calling for equality for all Australians and in doing so was labeled racist. On 14th February 1996 on instructions from John Howard, she was dis-endorsed. Pauline contested the election on 2nd March as an Independent winning the seat with the biggest swing in the nation. Pauline Hanson’s election to Parliament, gave her the title as the first Independent woman to hold a seat in the House of Representatives. It was not an easy time for her, but she continued to speak out for Australians on topics that were seen as taboo by the major political parties. Also as a member of Parliament, she informed Australians of hidden agendas and treaties that were not in Australia’s best interests and were going to be signed behind closed doors. Pauline was a member of the federal parliament from 1996 till October 1998.

In 1998, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation won 11 seats when it contested the Queensland state election. The major political parties saw her as a threat to their power and positions and a few months later changed the voting system to preferential voting just prior to the 1998 federal election, to stop One Nation winning seats.

She was forced to resign from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation in January 2002, because of internal party politics.

Pauline saw her party de-registered on more than one occasion, and she faced criminal charges along with David Ettridge the party’s national director, over the registration of the Queensland party. In 2003 Pauline and David were found guilty and were sentenced to 3 years in a maximum security prison in Brisbane. After serving 11 weeks Pauline and David were released, with all charges quashed. Bronwyn Bishop former minister of the Howard Government declared Pauline was Australia’s first Political prisoner.

In July 2006, The Bulletin named Pauline as one of the MOST INFLUENTIAL AUSTRALIANS.

Today, the party she founded in 1997, is now called Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Pauline re-joined the party as leader and National Chairman, and now serves as a Senator.