Hanson opens up on domestic violence, prison and racism claims

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has revealed personal details of her life, telling of her time behind bars and experiences with domestic violence.

The PHON leader was at the Swan Chamber of Commerce event to gather support for her party and gave a speech offering intimate details of her life before and during her political career.

While detailing her life running a small business prior to politics, Hanson admitted that she had experienced domestic violence in her life but refrained from going into detail.

“I won’t go into detail, but I had domestic violence as well,” she told the audience.

“So again, that’s a little bit of knowledge and history of knowing what happens running small business, being involved in domestic violence.

“But anyway, since then we split up, I’ve actually had been a single woman.

“I think my whole life and career has just been involved in politics, and of course, how I got into politics.”

Hanson also detailed her rise in politics and the establishment of the party in Queensland in the late 90s.

“The first election in 1998 in Queensland, we won 11 seats in parliament, six Labor, five Coalition.

“That put the fear into the major political parties, especially the Howard government, which was going to have an election in October that year.

“They all glued together to put One Nation last in that election.

“That’s why it never translated into seats for us, because they preferenced us last to keep the nation out. We won one senate seat in 1998 in Queensland.”

Hanson also addressed one of the major criticisms of One Nation - whether she considered herself or the party as racist.

“Do I care if people want to call me that? No way in the wide world, because you know what, they don’t know who I am.

“I have an open heart and mind to a lot of people that come to this country, but at the end of the day, I am Australian, and I’m so proud of my country, and I respect the men and women that have died and fought for our country to give us what we have today.”

The event MC also opened the floor up to questions from the audience, with Hanson asked about her experience in prison after she was found guilty of electoral fraud in 2003, charges that were eventually overturned.

“The day they brought down the guilty (verdict), I was absolutely devastated,” she said.

“I could have just fallen into a heap. I was handcuffed in that room. I was taken downstairs, and I was strip searched.

“I was taken to the watch house that night, that’s an experience in itself.

Hanson said one of the most difficult parts of serving a prison sentence was the k