Pauline Hanson’s Sicily holiday with billionaire Gina Rinehart triggers political backlash

Australian One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was photographed at the Grand Hotel San Pietro in Taormina, Sicily, enjoying a poolside stay with mining billionaire Gina Rinehart. The trip, which Hanson described as a “research mission,” has drawn criticism in Australia over who funded the luxury holiday and whether it contradicts her populist “battler” image.

Both women later attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in London, where they were seen together in the audience. British right‑wing populist Nigel Farage praised Hanson’s staying power, saying, “She’s quite remarkable – she never goes away,” but warned that she “wouldn’t have been my choice” to sit on a podcast with far‑right activist Tommy Robinson. The CPAC appearance, along with the Sicilian holiday, has intensified scrutiny of Hanson’s ties to wealthy donors and her engagements with far‑right figures overseas.