Federal police will investigate how left-wing activists smuggled a “drop down screen” into Canberra’s National Press Club to disrupt Pauline Hanson’s highly anticipated address to journalists on Wednesday.
As the Senator delivered her speech to the “high security event” the banner depicting the One Nation leader was revealed on stage, with the caption: “I opposed a pay rise for workers while I took a $100,00 pay rise for myself”.
Following the NPC address, GetUp CEO Paul Ferris claimed responsibility for the stunt, and in a separate message to supporters the organisation asked them to donate “whatever you can” to help campaign against Senator Hanson’s party.
“Pauline Hanson has built her entire brand on being for the battlers. But her record tells a different story. One Nation has consistently opposed wage rises, affordable childcare, increases to the aged pension, and housing affordability measures,” Mr Ferris said in a statement.
GetUp’s high-profile campaigns manager, David Sharaz, was seated in the press club audience as the banner was gradually unveiled on stage, but the organisation has refused to say what role he may have played or who sponsored his attendance at the event.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the NPC apologised to Senator Hanson and insisted the stunt was “undertaken by third parties” and “no club personnel or club contractors had any involvement in this matter”.
“We have referred the relevant footage and other evidence to the AFP for further investigation,” the club said.
“It appears that two persons entered the club building yesterday afternoon without permission and installed a separate drop-down screen in front of our media wall/ light box.
It is evident that a further person present during the Address activated a remote device to trigger the unfurling of the coiled banner.”
“David Sharaz was seen filming the incident on his phone and, after the banner had lowered, left abruptly. We understand that this is likely to form part of the AFP investigation.”
“When the investigation has concluded, the Club will consider its legal options against the perpetrators including recovering costs for the significant damage to the media wall/ light box.”
Immediately after Senator Hanson’s prepared address, NPC President Tom Connell assured her that the institution was not involved with the stunt.
“Just in case it needs clarifying, we had no knowledge of what happened here — maybe Banksy’s big in Australian politics, I’m not sure,” he said referencing the infamous British based street artist and political activist.
“Just tell me, is this another first?” Senator Hanson then asked the Press Club President, who responded “I believe it is — we’ve ticked off another one”.
The Nightly has learnt that the embarrassing security breach will now be discussed as a “priority” during a scheduled meeting of the National Press Club board on Thursday morning.
Earlier this week the National Press Club advised journalists that Senator Hanson’s highly anticipated appearance would be a “high security event” and that “Media Registration is essential”.
“Security Procedures will apply as a condition of entry including proof of identity,” the club wrote to members on Monday.
Figures connected to the NPC have confirmed that the security arrangements for Wednesday’s address by Pauline Hanson were even more stringent than those put in place earlier this year ahead of a speech by Israel’s ambassador Hillel Newman.
In an email to supporters following Senator Hanson’s address, GetUp defended its stunt and appealed for more donations to campaign against One Nation.
“We don’t do stunts for the sake of it. The National Press Club was Hanson’s moment — the biggest platform she’s ever had, with every major media outlet in the room. She was there to push her fake battler narrative as far as she could,” GetUp told members.
“Chip in to the Stop One Nation fund. $30, $50, or whatever you can. Your donation goes directly towards putting the truth about Hanson’s record in front of the voters who need to see it.”
During this year’s Farrer by-election GetUp spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying unsuccessfully to prevent One Nation candidate David Farley from winning the former Coalition held seat.
Prior to being appointed to run GetUp’s political campaigns and media strategy, David Sharaz briefly worked in Canberra’s press gallery at Parliament House.
The recently declared bankrupt is married to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, who was at the centre of the high-profile rape case that has rocked federal politics since 2021.
In 2022 Brittany Higgins also appeared at the National Press Club to deliver a televised address, which resulted in defamation action being launched by her former colleague Bruce Lehrmann against the ABC for broadcasting her speech.
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