Australian Senator Pauline Hanson faces heightened security concerns after National Press Club protest

Senator Pauline Hanson’s safety came under renewed scrutiny after activists from the GetUp group smuggled a drop‑down screen into the National Press Club in Canberra and lowered it onto the stage as she spoke. The incident has prompted calls for a permanent Australian Federal Police (AFP) close‑personal protection detail, with Hanson’s chief of staff James Ashby warning officials that “something terrible could soon occur.”

In addition to the press‑club breach, a man armed with several knives was detained outside Hanson’s hotel in Wagga Wagga ahead of a by‑election, and a tracking website publicising her private‑plane movements has raised further security worries. AFP data show violent threats against federal politicians have nearly doubled since 2021‑22, but the agency does not comment on individual risk assessments.