One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has unveiled what she says would be the first priorities of her government if she were elected Prime Minister, outlining an ambitious agenda that includes scrapping Australia’s Net Zero emissions target, removing Welcome to Country practices from government institutions, sharply reducing immigration and expanding healthcare benefits for self-funded retirees.

Speaking during News 24’s Please Explain special, Senator Hanson argued Australia needs a dramatic change in direction on government spending, energy policy, migration and public administration, claiming excessive spending has fuelled inflation and intensified the nation’s cost-of-living pressures.

Although One Nation currently holds a small number of seats in federal Parliament, Senator Hanson used the interview to outline what she described as the immediate actions she would pursue if her party were able to form government.

Her proposals span healthcare, housing, immigration, Indigenous recognition, childcare, disability funding and climate policy, reflecting the platform One Nation intends to take into future elections.

Healthcare card for every self-funded retiree

Among the most eye-catching proposals was Senator Hanson’s promise to extend healthcare concessions to all Australians who fund their own retirement.

She argued that many retirees who spent decades working, paying taxes and saving for retirement now receive fewer benefits than pensioners despite facing similar healthcare costs.

“Self-funded retirees, you worked hard, you get nothing back,” Senator Hanson said.

She proposed providing all retirees with access to a healthcare card that would reduce the cost of prescription medicines and provide heavily subsidised or bulk-billed GP visits.

Currently, Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards are subject to income testing, with eligibility thresholds applying to both individuals and couples.

Removing those income limits would significantly expand eligibility and could require billions of dollars in additional government expenditure, although Senator Hanson did not provide detailed costings or explain how the policy would be financed.

Supporters argue self-funded retirees receive relatively little assistance despite contributing taxes throughout their working lives, while critics question whether universal eligibility would represent the best use of public funds.

Immigration reduction aimed at easing the housing crisis

Immigration remains one of One Nation’s signature policies, and Senator Hanson reaffirmed her long-standing position that Australia should substantially reduce migrant intake.

She proposed lowering annual migration to approximately 130,000 people while continuing to admit workers needed to fill shortages in essential sectors such as healthcare.

“We have too many people coming to the country,” she said.

According to Senator Hanson, reducing migration would ease pressure on housing demand and help improve affordability for Australians struggling to enter the property market.

Housing supply and migration have become central issues in Australian political debate, with economists offering differing views on the extent to which population growth contributes to housing shortages compared with planning, construction capacity and infrastructure constraints.

Ending Net Zero commitments

Climate policy would also undergo a significant shift under Senator Hanson’s proposals.

She pledged to abandon Australia’s commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050, withdraw from the Paris Agreement and abolish the federal department responsible for climate change policy.

Senator Hanson argued climate policies have increased electricity prices and contributed unnecessarily to broader cost-of-living pressures.

“Get rid of all that Net Zero rubbish,” she said.

She maintained that reducing climate-related government expenditure would lower energy costs for households and businesses.

The proposal contrasts sharply with the Albanese Government’s commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by mid-century and expanding investment in renewable energy.

Environmental groups have argued Net Zero policies are essential to addressing climate change, while supporters of One Nation believe Australia should prioritise energy affordability and domestic economic competitiveness.

Removing Welcome to Country from government settings

Another major proposal involved ending the use of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country practices across Commonwealth government departments and public education settings.

Responding to a question from an audience member, Senator Hanson said she personally opposes the practice and would remove it from official government documents, websites and schools.

“I do not believe in having Welcome to Country,” she said.

She clarified that private organisations would remain free to conduct ceremonies if they wished but said government agencies should not require or routinely include them.

Welcome to Country ceremonies are traditionally delivered by Traditional Owners to welcome visitors onto Country, while Acknowledgement of Country recognises Traditional Custodians and may be delivered by anyone.

The practice has become increasingly common across Australian governments, educational institutions and sporting organisations, although it continues to generate political debate.

Supporters view the ceremonies as an important act of recognition and reconciliation, while opponents argue they have become overused or should remain voluntary.

Childcare spending under review

Senator Hanson also questioned Australia’s childcare subsidy system, calling for a comprehensive investigation into how billions of dollars are being spent each year.

She noted that government expenditure on childcare has risen substantially and argued taxpayers deserve greater accountability regarding the effectiveness of the funding.

“It’s costing the taxpayers $16 billion a year,” she said.

Rather than immediately proposing funding reductions, Senator Hanson said she wanted a detailed inquiry to determine whether the current system is operating efficiently and delivering value for families.

Calls for major NDIS reform

The National Disability Insurance Scheme was another major focus of Senator Hanson’s proposed agenda.

She described the rapidly expanding disability program as financially unsustainable unless stronger safeguards are introduced.

Pointing to projected increases in annual expenditure over coming years, Senator Hanson argued governments should concentrate on identifying fraudulent providers and organised criminal activity targeting the scheme.

“Go after the ones that are scamming it,” she said.

Her comments come as authorities continue investigating several high-profile alleged NDIS fraud cases across Australia involving millions of dollars in suspected false claims.

Senator Hanson also reiterated her long-held view that government assistance programs should be based on individual need rather than race.

High Court appeal over Section 18C

Beyond policy proposals, Senator Hanson confirmed she intends to continue her legal challenge against Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

The announcement follows the Full Federal Court’s decision to uphold an earlier ruling that comments she directed at Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi breached the Act.

Justice Angus Stewart previously found the remarks were seriously offensive and constituted a strong form of racism.

The Full Court dismissed Senator Hanson’s appeal, leaving her facing significant legal costs.

Despite that outcome, she confirmed she intends to seek special leave to appeal to the High Court.

“There’s a lot riding on this,” she said.

Senator Hanson argues Section 18C places unreasonable limits on freedom of expression by allowing legal action where individuals feel offended, insulted, intimidated or humiliated.

She said she has consulted senior constitutional lawyers Bret Walker SC and Perry Herzfeld SC while preparing the proposed appeal.

Whether the High Court agrees to hear the matter remains to be determined.

Clarifying One Nation’s position on permanent residents

During the forum, Senator Hanson was also asked whether elderly permanent residents who had lived and worked in Australia for decades would lose access to government benefits under One Nation policies.

She rejected that suggestion, saying it had never formed part of the party’s platform.

Responding to a question about the parents of one audience member, Senator Hanson said long-term permanent residents who had contributed through taxation should not lose support in old age simply because they had not become Australian citizens.

“No way,” she said.

European trip and Gina Rinehart donations

The interview also touched on Senator Hanson’s recent European holiday with mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.

She confirmed updated disclosures showing Ms Rinehart paid for connecting flights between London, Rome and Sicily, as well as attendance at a Dolce & Gabbana fashion event.

Senator Hanson said she personally paid for accommodation, meals and other travel expenses and insisted taxpayers did not contribute to the overseas trip.

She has previously declared receiving several gifts from Ms Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting, including campaign flights, travel assistance and a donated Cirrus G7 aircraft used to reach regional communities during election campaigns.

The donations have attracted criticism from political opponents, particularly Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Speaking at the Australian Labor Party National Conference, Mr Chalmers accused One Nation of aligning itself too closely with Ms Rinehart’s interests while defending Labor’s housing and taxation reforms.

He argued the government’s housing agenda was designed to improve affordability for younger Australians and rejected criticism that Labor’s reforms unfairly targeted investors.

Mr Chalmers also claimed One Nation’s voting positions reflected the interests of wealthy backers rather than Australian workers, an accusation Senator Hanson has consistently rejected.

A platform focused on cost of living and smaller government

Taken together, Senator Hanson’s proposals reinforce One Nation’s long-standing emphasis on reducing migration, limiting government expenditure, lowering energy costs and reshaping Commonwealth programs.

Many of the proposals would require legislation and parliamentary support that would be difficult for a minor party to secure independently.

Nevertheless, the interview provided one of the clearest indications of the policy agenda Senator Hanson intends to take to voters, with cost-of-living pressures, housing affordability, immigration and government spending expected to remain central issues in Australia’s political debate ahead of the next federal election.