A nationwide student walkout planned for next week has intensified Australia’s political debate after South Australian One Nation leader Cory Bernardi accused students organising the demonstrations of “clearly” hating Australia.

The demonstrations, branded Students Say No To Hanson, are scheduled for Thursday, 13 August, with high school and university students expected to leave classes in cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Newcastle and Wollongong.

Organisers say the protests are a response to what they describe as the growing popularity of Pauline Hanson and One Nation, particularly ahead of the Victorian election and following the party’s recent electoral gains in South Australia.

The movement has been organised by several university student organisations, socialist groups and high school activist networks, which argue young Australians should publicly oppose One Nation’s policies on immigration, multiculturalism and other social issues.

Campaign material circulated online encourages students to recruit classmates, organise school group chats and participate in coordinated rallies in their respective cities.

However, the planned demonstrations have drawn a sharp response from Cory Bernardi, the leader of One Nation in South Australia.

Speaking to nine.com.au, Bernardi dismissed the organisers’ campaign and questioned their motives.

“They’re ridiculous and delusional,” he said.

“They clearly hate, clearly hate Australia.”

Bernardi also criticised organisers after two One Nation representatives reportedly attended an Adelaide planning meeting earlier this week but were asked to leave once they were recognised.

According to Bernardi, the pair attended simply to understand what the planned protest involved.

He argued the incident demonstrated that organisers were unwilling to engage with opposing political viewpoints.

“These aren’t people interested in different points of view,” he claimed.

Student organisers reject that characterisation.

Groups supporting the demonstrations say the rallies are intended as peaceful political protests against what they describe as One Nation’s “racist, anti-immigration, anti-worker, anti-women and far-right” policies.

The Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of Sydney publicly endorsed the action, encouraging students to join the nationwide walkout.

In a statement published on social media, the SRC said students should unite against what it described as “hate and misinformation”.

The Adelaide protest is expected to begin outside South Australia’s Parliament House, while demonstrators in Melbourne are scheduled to gather outside the State Library. Protesters in Sydney are expected to assemble at Town Hall before marching through the city.

Organisers estimate that thousands of students could participate nationwide if attendance meets expectations.

The demonstrations come during one of the strongest periods of electoral support One Nation has experienced in recent years.

The party secured five seats at the South Australian election earlier this year and polling suggests it could again influence the balance of power in November’s Victorian election.

Recent national polling has also shown One Nation performing strongly in primary vote support, adding further attention to Pauline Hanson’s campaign.

Pauline Hanson has remained one of Australia’s most polarising political figures throughout 2026.

She attracted widespread criticism following her address to the National Press Club in June, where she argued Australia should become a “monocultural” society and criticised multiculturalism.

Her visit to the United Kingdom in July, during which she met British activist Tommy Robinson, also generated significant political debate after Hanson confirmed billionaire Gina Rinehart had contributed towards funding part of her overseas travel.

The student protests also follow demonstrations held earlier this week outside a One Nation campaign event in Melbourne, where hundreds of protesters gathered after Hanson introduced candidates contesting the upcoming Victorian election.

That event attracted additional attention after One Nation refused entry to reporters from several media organisations, with Hanson defending the decision by accusing some outlets of unfair reporting.

Education authorities have emphasised that normal school attendance expectations remain in place despite the planned demonstrations.

South Australian Education Minister Lucy Hood said decisions about whether students attend the protest ultimately rest with parents and carers, while reiterating that schools remain the best place for children during the school week.

Similarly, Victoria’s Department of Education said schools would manage any absences in accordance with existing attendance policies.

The protests have reignited a broader discussion about political activism in Australian schools.

Supporters argue young people have an important democratic right to express political opinions peacefully, particularly on issues they believe will shape Australia’s future.

Critics, however, question whether organised walkouts during school hours are appropriate and argue students should remain in classrooms while engaging in political debate outside school time.

Political demonstrations involving students have become increasingly common over the past decade, including nationwide climate strikes, rallies supporting Indigenous recognition and protests relating to international conflicts.

The Hanson demonstrations differ because they are directed specifically at a political leader and party rather than a single policy issue.

Regardless of political affiliation, the planned walkouts are expected to become one of Australia’s largest coordinated student political demonstrations of the year.

Whether they influence public opinion remains uncertain, but they arrive at a politically sensitive time as One Nation continues to expand its electoral footprint and prepare for key state campaigns.

For organisers, the rallies are intended to demonstrate opposition to Pauline Hanson and the policies championed by One Nation.

For Bernardi and the party’s supporters, they instead represent an example of ideological intolerance and an unwillingness to engage with competing political views.

As students prepare to gather across multiple Australian cities on 13 August, the protests are likely to intensify an already heated national debate over free speech, political participation, education and the future direction of Australian politics.