'Pauline-light': Karl clashes with senator over Pauline Hanson's fiery speech | Today Show Australia

Welcome back.The fallout from Pauline Hanson's press club address continues this morning to discuss.I'm joined by Environment Minister Murray Watt and National Senator Bridget McKenzie.Morning, guys.Nice to see you this morning.Okay, Bridget, you're first up.

It had it all yesterday.What did you make of Pauline's getup?

Well, yeah, good question.I think GetUp absolutely wins the most stupid political stunt of the year.A close second would be Elbow's own goal on fundraising.I think a lifetime ban is a bit too much.But I think the National Press Club is an important platform for political leaders.I've had the great privilege a couple of times to deliver it.

It puts you under pressure.You need to be able to face the media and the tough scrutiny.And I think nothing says more that One Nation is now a mainstream political player than this address, but I am concerned that One Nation also wants to pick and choose which media they take questions from, who they like or they don't like.That might be okay for Donald Trump to pick and choose which media he takes questions from, but it does not go well here in a democracy like Australia.

I reckon that's what Pauline wants.Murray, you must have made a lot of notes.A lot of notes yesterday.You haven't managed to land a wet lettuce leaf on it yet.Off you go.

Well, I mean, I think what we saw from Pauline Hanson yesterday, Carl, is that she's got a plan for division, chaos and cuts.She made clear that she wants to cut workers' wages.She wants to make it easier for bosses to sack workers.And she wants to cut health care funding, which means people would have to pay more to go and see a doctor.So, you know, at a time when people are doing it really tough already, Pauline Hanson's plan is just going to make it harder for everyone.I mean, I lost count of the number of different targets she's got with her plan.

She's coming after workers.She's coming after people who use childcare, she's coming after migrants, she's coming after the ABC.You know, you can't govern a country if all you're about is hating other people and taking other people on.You've actually got to have a plan to take the country forward.

Bridget, I reckon what Murray said, I reckon Labor hasn't quite worked out how to peg Pauline Hanson effectively, because everything just feeds into her narrative.

Well I think Carl, you and I have talked ad nauseum over the years about the need to have a discriminatory migration system.coalitions delivering that, that's backed by One Nation, cutting migration number, deporting hate preachers, getting rid of net zero, having an affordable and reliable energy system and all of these, all of these policies that are the opposition's policies that are backed by One Nation, that's what the Labor Party is failing to understand.Australians want politicians and political movements that want to make their lives better, want to make our country safer, and that's what we're doing.

But Bridget, aren't you just Pauline Light?I mean, you're struggling for oxygen in the same room as her.

Well, I don't have red hair, Carl.There's a whole lot of reasons that I struggle for oxygen against Pauline Hanson.

If that's all you've got, you're in a real problem.

Murray, you're new to the Today Show brekkie here, but Carl and I have discussed a lot of times over the years the need to deport hate preachers, the need to cut migration, but Murray what you're not accepting is that people watching this show today actually want to see policies like that.Your government hasn't done the hard work and you haven't done the hard work and you're even refusing to listen to Australians right now.Keep going, Murray.

If I can get a word in, Bridget.Go on, Murray.If I can get a word in.You might remember, Bridget, that after the terrible Bondi incident, we actually put through legislation, put through the Parliament, which made it easier to deport hate preachers.Pauline Hanson and One Nation voted against that law.And this is the problem with One Nation.

They run around the country promising all sorts of things.They come to Canberra, vote a different way, and make life harder for the Aboriginal person.

OK Murray, let's all just sit back right now and let's get our pens and papers out because what we're going to see in the lead up to the next election is going to be Labor concentrating, it seems, on One Nation.So what are going to be your election slogans?Just give it to us right now.Thank you.

No, I actually think what's more likely, Carl, is that we've already seen this coalition come together between the Liberals, Nationals and One Nation.And this is again one of the risks that we have.It's pretty clear that no one of those parties can form government in their own right.So what we run the risk of is all the cuts we usually get from the Liberals and all the chaos we always get from One Nation.And that is the worst possible combination we could have to run the country at what is a really difficult time in the world.What we need is a government that is completely focused on helping people with their cost of living pressures.

That's why we're trying to pass that legislation about tax cuts which all the other parties don't support.It's why we're trying to lift wages which the Liberals and One Nation oppose as well.I think there we go.

We got it.Didn't take you long, Mars.Just quickly before we go, Bridget, there's nothing wrong with getting rid of media watches there, I wouldn't have thought.

I think we all want our taxpayer dollars spent well at the ABC, but we also need a public broadcaster, particularly for those of us out in the region.

That is for sure.Alright, thank you guys, appreciate it.