# ‘Orange elephant in the room’: Pauline Hanson’s political rise is inspiring racism, inquiry hears

https://mins.news/en/item/14837

- The Guardian, 2026-08-06 07:05 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/06/pauline-hanson-one-nation-leader-rise-inspiring-racism-parliament-inquiry-hears-ntwnfb

> A former AFL inclusion manager told a federal inquiry that One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s conduct is encouraging people to adopt “similar behaviour and words”. The inquiry was told that One Nation’s rise is fuelling racism directed at First Nations people. High-profile Indigenous journalists warned that 1970s-style racism “is back”. Public hearings are taking place in Melbourne this week, with prominent figures and sporting groups describing experiences of racism, discrimination, violence and harm across Australia.