Arabic version: سناتورة من حزب الخضر تنتقد هانسون بسبب حظر وسائل الإعلام

According to The Guardian, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young criticised Pauline Hanson after reporters from the ABC, the Age and the Guardian were barred from a One Nation press conference in Melbourne announcing Victorian state election candidates.

Hanson-Young said Hanson was “running scared of scrutiny” and described her as “a politician who thinks that she should have the right to say whatever she wants, but no one else should have the right to ask questions”. Speaking at a press conference in Parliament House, the Greens senator said Hanson was “showing herself to be a political coward by hiding from certain media because she doesn’t like questions from journalists”.

Hanson-Young said the decision was “a very very bad start to any political campaign”. The excluded outlets were not provided with the time or location of the One Nation event.

Hanson defended her decision during the press conference, saying: “I’m not putting up with the spin, gotcha moments, wanting to have a go at me … [and] treat us totally different to what you do the other major political parties. Enough is enough.” Guardian Australia said that holding public figures to account was the role of a free press after the blockage.