Pauline Hanson has claimed she was ordered not film an interview next to a statue of Mary Poppins because the children’s character is ‘apolitical’.
The One Nation leader was filming an interview with Sky News in Maryborough on Queensland‘s Fraser Coast Region on Wednesday night when she claims a local official threatened to ring the police.
At the start of the interview with Steve Price, the One Nation Leader claimed that as they were setting up earlier, there had been a confrontation off-camera.
‘So a staffer came from the council and told me that I can’t film here next to Mary Poppins, because she’s apolitical, and told me I shouldn’t be here,’ Senator Hanson explained.
‘I told them “get lost, I’m doing the interview here”.’
Ms Hanson continued: ‘They said “we’re going to ring the police”… (and) they’ve gone away to ring them.
‘So if the police turn up and you see a confrontation here, you know what’s happening with it, because Mary Poppins is apolitical, and I shouldn’t be actually doing the interview here.’
Ms Hanson then held up an artwork to the camera depicting her as Mary Poppins created by a local.
A defiant Senator Hanson stood her ground as she vowed not to be bullied when she knew her rights.
‘I’m not a pushover, and no one is going to bully me or tell me,’ she continued.
‘I know I’m in my rights, and I can stand here beside my mate Mary Poppins, and I will.’
It’s unclear why Senator Hanson decided to be filmed next to the Mary Poppins statue.
Senator Hanson also revealed it had been the second time someone had threatened to call the police on her in Maryborough that day.
She claimed the town was ‘run by a bunch of bullies who don’t want to see One Nation here.’
‘I’m sick and tired of these people. This is the second time today,’ she told Price.
Ms Hanson explained she had wanted to inspect the site of an old TAFE.
‘It was built about nine years ago. It’s sitting there in wreck and ruin.’
‘I went on the property to actually have a look at it.’
‘I was told by the security guard, ‘you’re not allowed to come here.”
‘I said, ”I’m here as a Member of Parliament. I want to know where the taxpayers’ dollars are going (with) this facility sitting there”.’
Ms Hanson said the security guard warned he would call the police.
‘”Good, call the police”, I said. Because I’m going to have a look around,’ she recalled.
Senator Hanson wanted to inspect the site as it could have been used for ’emergency housing, for aged care, for educational purposes’.
The statue of Mary Poppins is located in the Maryborough City Hall Visitor Information Centre and is a tribute to the creator of Mary Poppins, P. L. Travers who was born Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough in 1899.