The media's reaction to the anti-democratic behaviour of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party has been supine, representing a shameful abrogation of the obligation to defend the freedom of the press, according to Denis Muller.
One Nation's Anti-Democratic Outbursts
On the day before the Farrer byelection on 9 May, One Nation apparatchiks banned the ABC from attending its election-eve press conference. Thirteen days later, another party official told a Guardian Australia journalist to 'shut up' during a press conference in Adelaide, with Hanson later describing the journalist as a 'nasty bitch'. A week before Farrer, in the Victorian state seat of Nepean, the One Nation candidate Darren Hercus refused to speak to the ABC, claiming bias.
Media's Supine Response
The response from the media industry and journalism profession has been notably absent. In Farrer, other journalists stood by as ABC reporters were ejected. In the following two weeks, no public condemnation was issued by any industry or professional leader. This silence mirrors the tactics of Donald Trump, who brands unfriendly media as 'the enemy of the people' and undermines public trust.
Parallels with Trump's US
Across the Pacific, a far-right populist leader attains power and turns on media he dislikes. Hanson is not there yet, but her party's instincts are clear. The ABC and Guardian Australia have scrutinised her party, and this is the response. Hanson herself said the ABC should not have been ejected in Farrer, but the ABC has been in her gunsights since 2017 when she made a deal with Malcolm Turnbull's government for an ABC inquiry.
Specific Incidents
The proximate cause of her wrath was an ABC story revealing a One Nation candidate in the South Australian state election was wanted for questioning in the UK on sexual touching allegations. Less than 24 hours before polls opened in Farrer, Hanson's chief of staff James Ashby ejected two ABC journalists, saying 'Bye, bye to the ABC'. As The Age's media writer noted, this was straight out of Trump's playbook.
Lack of Condemnation
No condemnation has come from ABC's editor-in-chief Hugh Marks or chair Kim Williams, nor from major newspapers or the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. ABC's Media Watch did not pull its punches, with presenter Linton Besser describing One Nation's attitude as ugly and warning that slurs about 'fake news' could be hurled at others. Tellingly, the ABC declined to comment on the Farrer incident.
Media's Focus on Victory
Instead of defending press freedom, the media has been consumed by One Nation's historic victory. Hanson is presented heroically: Nine papers quote the London Telegraph referring to her as 'Australia's flame-haired answer to Farage'. She is also characterised as 'mother duck'. The Australian says 'the shake-up is just starting', and The Age and SMH capture voter mood with 'Voters tell Canberra: Get stuffed'.
The Principle at Stake
While One Nation's electoral success is significant, ignoring its anti-democratic behaviour shows wilful blindness to what is happening in the US and complacency that it can't happen here. American journalist Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel 'It Can't Happen Here' predicted such threats to democracy. Excluding the ABC from a press conference may seem small, but it is about the functioning of Australian democracy. Journalists must see the large principle in a small thing.
