Senator Pauline Hanson criticises Liberal leader Sussan Ley for Acknowledgment of Country before National Press Club speech
Senator Pauline Hanson has said she was left "disgusted" with Opposition Leader Sussan Ley after her Acknowledgment to Country during a major speech last week.
The Liberal leader spoke at the National Press Club on Wednesday, but before she kicked off her address she acknowledged the traditional owners of the land.
The party's former leader Peter Dutton had a hard stance on First Nations ceremonies, including the Welcome to Country, saying they had been "overdone" after a number of people booed at a Melbourne Anzac Day dawn service in April.
Senator Hanson did not hold back in her assessment of Ms Ley's act.
"I was disgusted. Absolutely disgusted with it," she told Sky News' Danica and James.
"Because the Liberals, they were the ones that actually opposed the Voice to Parliament. It wasn't just the Liberals that opposed it. It was a lot of people like myself, like Gary Johns, and then you had Barnaby Joyce and you had Jacinta Price."
"Because once the public were informed about what it meant and changed in the Constitution, people were better informed and made their decisions about it."
The firebrand politician also believes Ms Ley is not the right person to be leading the party as she was a moderate and that a "true conservative" had to replace her.
"It's going to be very interesting what happens the next three years under Sussan Ley. I think she will be overthrown before the next election," Senator Hanson added.
Earlier, the One Nation leader was asked about a poll from the Institute of Public Affairs which had found 56 per cent of people say Welcome to Country ceremonies are divisive.
According to the survey conducted by research firm Dynata, 27 per cent of others questioned said they were unsure and 17 per cent disagreed on the remark.
"Every Australian out there that's got a backbone about them and say, 'we're not going to deal with this anymore', turn your back on it as I do every time I'm in parliament and they do a Welcome to Country. I turn my back," Senator Hanon said.
She also claimed to have turned her back on the ceremony during her grandson's school's anniversary, saying she is not "going to put up with this rubbish".
"It's ridiculous where we're going. It's divisive. More than 56 per cent of the public out there are so over this but they are in fear of being called a bigot or racist," she said.
Senator Hanson also praised the Melbourne council worker for standing up against his employer after an Acknowledgment to Country during a toolbox meeting.
It was revealed on Thursday Melbourne street sweeper Shaun Turner had won his unfair dismissal case after he was dismissed by Darebin City Council in June.
Mr Turner said the use of the Acknowledgment to Country is "getting out of hand".
"That council worker, good on him for actually fighting back over it and questioning it. And yet he's lost his job. He's won it in the courts and I hope that they actually apologise to him and offer his job back," Senator Hanson told Sky News.
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