One Nation Names Victorian Election Candidates, Bars ABC and 2026

One Nation has named its first candidates for the upcoming Victorian state election, while leader Pauline Hanson has vowed to ban the ABC and the Guardian from her press conferences. The move raises questions about media access and democratic transparency in Australia.

One Nation's Victorian Election Candidates

At a press conference on Monday, One Nation announced seven of the eight candidates who will lead their upper house tickets in Victoria. The eighth candidate is expected to be named soon. The party aims to contest the state election scheduled for later this year.

Warren Pickering, One Nation's Victorian president, said the party "expect and invite a healthy amount of scrutiny of our candidates and our policy positions." However, the exclusion of major media outlets contradicts this statement.

Media Ban: ABC and Guardian Excluded

Reporters from the ABC and the Age were refused entry to Hanson's press conference, and the Guardian was not informed of the event's time or location. Hanson has previously stated that the ABC and the Guardian are not welcome at One Nation events.

When asked about democracy and media access, Hanson replied, "Democracy doesn’t happen on the ABC at all." She claimed she had excluded ABC journalists for "eight months" in 1996 and said the same would apply to the Guardian.

"I’m not putting up with the spin, gotcha moments, wanting to have a go at me… [and they] treat us totally different to what you do the other major political parties. Enough is enough," Hanson added.

Rebel News as an Alternative

Hanson expressed satisfaction with Rebel News Australia, run by Avi Yemini, a former Israeli soldier and self-styled investigative journalist. This preference highlights a growing trend among some politicians to favor sympathetic media outlets.

Implications for Democracy and Media Freedom

Excluding major broadcasters from press conferences can limit public access to information, especially in regional areas where the ABC is a primary news source. A reporter at the event asked Hanson, "Aren’t you cutting off your nose to spite your face here? Don’t you need your message to get out to regional Victoria in particular, and you need the ABC, the national broadcaster to be able to carry it?"

Hanson's response was to point to Rebel News, but this does not address the broader reach of the ABC. Media freedom advocates argue that all journalists should have equal access to political events, regardless of their outlet's editorial stance.

Comparison of Media Access Policies

Key Takeaways

• One Nation has named seven of eight Victorian upper house candidates.
• Pauline Hanson has banned ABC and Guardian from her press conferences.
• The ban raises concerns about media freedom and democratic accountability.
• Rebel News Australia is favored by Hanson as an alternative outlet.
• Regional voters may lose access to candidate information via the ABC.

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