APPEA 2026 Conference and Exhibition

For more than a generation, Pauline Hanson has been one of Australia’s most recognisable political leaders. She exploded upon the national political scene with her landmark maiden speech to Parliament after she was elected to represent the Queensland Federal seat of Oxley, the first ever woman to be elected as an independent to the House of Representatives.

Pauline is a proud Queenslander born in Brisbane, and a proud Australian. She’s a devoted mother with four children and six grandchildren. Before she entered Federal politics, she ran a potato chip processing business, a plumbing business, a cattle farm and – famously – a fish-and-chip shop. She first held public office as a councillor on the Ipswich City Council before she stood for election in Oxley.

Pauline is very much like the people she does her best to represent. She’s been a small business owner, a farmer and a single mum. Pauline knows what it means to struggle, and she knows what it takes to make a go of things. Pauline is passionate about all Australians being empowered to rise above adversity and enjoy the many opportunities which come with living, learning and working in this great nation.

Pauline’s entry into Federal politics was a controversial one which saw her and One Nation become targets for Australia’s political establishment, especially after the 1998 elections in Australia and Queensland in which One Nation had a huge impact. It saw Pauline spend a short time in prison before justice was ultimately served and all charges and convictions against her were dropped. She was called Australia’s first political prisoner.

Through all of this, Pauline never lost sight of her goal: to be a strong voice for the Australian people in the halls of power, to stand up for the interests of Australia first and foremost, and to defend the values, rights, freedoms and principles which made Australia a strong, successful democratic country.

Since returning to Parliament in 2016 as a Senator for Queensland, Pauline has led a One Nation party that is now surging to the forefront of voter support. She is a strong supporter of Australia’s minerals and energy sector, understanding its critical importance to the Australian economy and the wealth it can bring to the Australian people.

Presentation details

Plenary 5
Plenary Address & In Conversation with Senator Pauline Hanson
Thursday 21 May 2026
2:15pm – 4:15pm

Detailed program can be found here.