Hanson Says PM's Words Put Her in Danger. Critics Aren't So Sure.

Australian senator Pauline Hanson says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese caused violent threats to be made against her. She made these claims after Albanese spoke at a Labor Party conference in Queensland, where he warned against what he called 'dangerous and dishonest' hard-right politics. Hanson leads the One Nation party and says she now needs police protection every time she goes out to meet people in public.

At the conference, Albanese told supporters that hard-right politicians around the world are spreading ideas that are dangerous, divisive, and dishonest. He said these forces must be defeated, calling it a duty to history. Hanson felt these words were directed at her and that they encouraged others to threaten her safety.

Many people who follow Australian politics point out that Albanese uses this kind of strong language very often. He has described the policies of the Liberal Party, the Greens, and other opponents as 'dangerous and dishonest' on many separate occasions. This means Hanson is far from the only politician he has spoken about in this way.

Hanson herself also uses tough words against her rivals. She has called Albanese 'a liar' and 'the most divisive leader Australia has ever seen.' Liberal MP Garth Hamilton said he believes Hanson has made a career of saying much worse things, and that there is some hypocrisy in her now claiming to be the victim.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland suggested that Hanson should look at her own party's behaviour before blaming the prime minister for threats against her. Hanson called this 'victim blaming' and demanded a public apology from Rowland. The dispute quickly became another heated exchange in an already tense political environment.

This is not the first time Hanson has connected political speech to her personal safety. Nearly 30 years ago, she recorded a video message to be released if she was ever killed. When the video leaked, she blamed her opponents for putting her in danger, and critics at the time called it a calculated political stunt.

The threat of violence against politicians is a real and growing problem across Australia. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett warned earlier this year that more people are showing a willingness to use violence against politicians, faith leaders, and community figures. Reported threats against members of parliament have risen by more than 10 percent in just one year.

Women in politics tend to face the worst threats, including ones that are sexual in nature. Social media is making the problem worse by spreading extreme views to large audiences very quickly. Experts worry this dangerous climate will discourage good people from entering politics or speaking up in public debates.

Almost everyone agrees that threats of violence against any politician are wrong and must be condemned without question. Hanson has done something useful by speaking publicly about the threats she faces, helping shine a light on a growing danger to Australian democracy. But many critics say that blaming the prime minister's routine political words for those threats makes it look like she is using a serious issue to score political points — just as she was accused of doing three decades ago.