Pauline Hanson spoke for an hour and a half. Here’s the verdict of the press gallery experts

We asked a panel of political experts to give their verdict on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s speech to the National Press Club in Canberra. Here’s what they had to say.

Pauline Hanson at the National Press Club was a high-voltage lightning rod for popular anger, but a very feeble lighthouse for illuminating solutions. It was an audition for the position of opposition leader, not prime minister. She’s been fomenting grievances for 30 years. Now, as she said repeatedly, she has two years to develop fixes. She was asking for time. She’ll need it. The hard part lies ahead.

In a scattergun address about double the length of the usual Press Club speech, Hanson covered her usual subjects: “mass” immigration, Islamic extremism, her ill-treatment by the mainstream media, the “transgender insurgency” and her contempt for the “climate change hoax”. Her persecution complex was in full flight when facing questions from media outlets she doesn’t like. Hanson said she wants a “monocultural” Australia. This speech – punchy, hostile and slightly paranoid – reinforced what One Nation’s culture is.

By showing up today Pauline Hanson passed the test. More exposure for our potential leaders will lead to more informed voters – that should be encouraged. By wading out of familiar waters, the senator’s message got to more voters, and more voters had the chance to evaluate Hanson’s vision and policy. Clearly not all of that policy and vision was fully formed, but that’s not out of the ordinary for this time in the electoral cycle.

Pauline Hanson’s first speech at the National Press Club speech contained no new details about what One Nation would actually do if it were to form government, either by itself or in coalition, beyond cutting several departments, SBS, and hobbling the ABC. But that wasn’t the point. Hanson didn’t miss a beat in her speech, even when a protest banner unfurled behind her, and the transformation of One Nation into a mainstream political party continues apace.

Here are the key moments from the senator’s speech and subsequent grilling by journalists.

The banner stated: “I opposed a pay rise for workers.” There was also a footnote that said Hanson had taken a $100,000 pay rise for herself.

The banner was unfurled without obvious assistance from anyone in the club and temporarily threw Hanson off stride before she continued with her speech.

Press Club chief executive Maurice Reilly had the sign quickly ripped down, and the club is investigating how the banner was smuggled in and unrolled.

Left-leaning activist group GetUp! has claimed responsibi