GetUp stunt at Hanson speech referred to police as One Nation says leader safety compromised

One Nation says leader Pauline Hanson’s safety was compromised when activist group GetUp was able to unfurl a stunt banner behind her as she delivered her first-ever speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, forging on to outline plans to clamp down on Muslim migration, end multiculturalism and axe the climate change department.

Speaking after the event, Hanson’s chief of staff James Ashby said, “there are safety concerns around Pauline’s security”, demanding the club impose a lifetime ban on the activist group, including the organisation’s media and campaigns lead, David Sharaz.

The club issued an apology to Hanson and said neither its staff nor its contractors had any involvement in the incident and that it had been undertaken by third parties. Footage has been handed to the Australian Federal Police for investigation.

The speech, Hanson’s first address to the Press Club after 30 years in politics, came as support for One Nation’s primary vote has surged past both Labor and the Coalition and into first place, and after Hanson was named preferred prime minister in the latest Resolve Political Monitor.

GetUp claimed responsibility for the stunt after the speech, which involved remotely unfurling a banner that stated “I opposed a pay rise for workers while I took a $100,000 pay rise for myself” shortly after Hanson started speaking.

Hanson herself was momentarily distracted by the banner’s appearance but pushed on with her speech, with Ashby later stating that he had been assured on Tuesday and Wednesday “by members of the press club and the AFP [federal police] that she had the same level of security as was provided to Israeli dignitaries who were recently here, which is one step above the security provided to the PM”.

“What signal does this send to dignitaries if vigilante groups and protesters like GetUp are allowed to do that? I think the National Press Club should be looking very closely at their constitution for a way in which to impose a lifetime ban on Getup and its members who were there, and I am pointing my finger specifically at David Sharaz.”

Sharaz came to prominence working with his partner Brittany Higgins when she went public with her original claims she had been raped by fellow staffer Bruce Lehrmann.

Sharaz was in the Press Club for the event but he has not responded to a request for comment.

In a comment released by the club at 5.20pm, the club said: “At time of writing, we understand he [Sharaz] is yet to be interviewed by the AFP. It appears that two persons entered the club building yesterday afternoon without permission and installed a separate drop-down screen in front of our media wall/ light box.

“It is evident that a further person present during the address activated a remote device to trigger the unfurling of the coiled banner. David Sharaz was seen filming the incident on his phone and, after the banner had lowered, left abruptly. We understand that this is likely to form part of the AFP investigation.

“When the investigation has concluded, the club will consider its legal options against the perpetrators including recovering costs for the significant damage to the media wall/ light box.”

The club’s president, Sky News presenter Tom Connell, told his employer that preliminary vision suggested someone had set the stunt up much earlier.

“It appears from vision we’ve looked at so far that people were able to get access to the building yesterday, not today, and somebody who bought a ticket pressed a button during the address,” he told Sky News.

Hanson’s colleagues, including Barnaby Joyce and senators Malcolm Roberts, Sean Bell and Tyron Whitten were also in the room for the speech, which ran about 15 minutes over time, and One Nation staff and supporters were also present, many of whom repeatedly cheered the party leader.

The 72-year-old senator also attacked Guardian Australia journalist Sarah Martin for asking why her daughter, Lee Hanson, was working for NSW senator Sean Bell while the younger Hanson lived and worked in Tasmania – where she is the party’s senate candidate at the next election – and whether Pauline Hanson had had any role in her daughter being hired.

“Honestly, you never give up,” Hanson said. “I’ve never seen a person that’s such a trashy journalist, you know, and what you put out all the time, you’ve got this obsession with constantly trying to pull down myself, my party, or Mrs [Gina] Rinehart,” she said. Rinehart is a major donor to One Nation, including recently giving the party leader a small aeroplane.

SBS journalist Anna Henderson also received a blast after asking about Hanson’s plan to shut down the network, with the One Nation leader saying: “You’re going to be without a job, certainly.”

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