‘Smarmy management consultant’: Angus Taylor criticised by Pauline Hanson and heckled at CPAC event

Pauline Hanson has slammed Angus Taylor as a “smarmy management consultant” and told attendees of a major conservative conference that they should not trust the Coalition, as the Liberal leader came under fire from hecklers in the crowd.

But Hanson has reiterated her offer to work together with the Coalition to defeat the Labor government, suggesting attendees of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Australia in Brisbane put the Liberals or Nationals second on their ballot papers, behind One Nation.

Hanson’s insults of the Coalition came moments after Taylor had given a major mea culpa to the conference, criticising past Liberal governments – in which he was a key minister – for signing up to a net zero climate target, increasing immigration, and public spending during the pandemic.

“Your frustrations about where we let you down in the recent past are understandable and reasonable. Believe me, I share those frustrations,” the opposition leader said.

CPAC Australia heard from Taylor, Hanson and Nationals leader Matt Canavan on its opening morning on Saturday. It is the first time a sitting Liberal leader has addressed the event, and comes amid One Nation consistently outpolling the Coalition.

Hanson was the best received of all three conservative leaders, receiving a standing ovation from most of the crowd as she took the stage and an even more raucous applause as she finished. Taylor’s speech received a standing ovation from less than half the crowd.

While Taylor took a more conciliatory tone toward One Nation in his speech, Hanson’s address repeatedly slammed what she called the “uniparty”, referring to Labor and the Coalition.

“Australians despise [prime minister Anthony] Albanese … and quite frankly, they don’t want some smarmy management consultant taking his place either,” Hanson said.

Taylor, according to his own website, worked as a management consultant before entering politics, including at global consulting firm McKinsey.

Hanson told CPAC: “The uniparty have taken turns running this country into the ground. Both must be held accountable for the position they’ve put us in.”

She went on to point out the former Coalition government had made a commitment to net zero – a pledge since abolished by Taylor – and instituted the eSafety commissioner, both of which elicited boos from the audience.

“They [Liberals] signed us up to [net zero], so why would we trust them to get us out of it?” she said.

Hanson also said One Nation wanted a royal commission into net zero, including into “every decision the uniparty has made”.

But despite repeated criticism of the Coalition, Hanson said she was still keen for the conservative parties to cooperate.

“I know there are people in this room who support the Liberals and Nationals. I won’t walk away from what One Nation believes, but I will make you one comment. One Nation will work with the Liberals and Nationals to remove this Labor government,” Hanson said.

Taylor, speaking directly before Hanson, began his speech by admitting Coalition governments “got some important things wrong”. Taylor – who served in the Turnbull and Morrison ministries, including as energy minister – said they had “made the mistake of signing up to net zero”, and allowed “immigration numbers to creep up”.

He urged conference attendees to stick by the Coalition, claiming the Liberals and Nationals were “the most credible alternative government”. Taylor did not directly mention One Nation, but conceded “that some of you may have doubts” about the Coalition.

“The Coalition is once again conviction-led and unashamedly on the right,” he said.

Taylor lauded the Coalition’s newly announced immigration policy, but received a small smattering of boos from the crowd when he mentioned his net overseas migration target of 130,000 then 160,000 in years three and four of his plan.

There were louder boos in a subsequent on-stage interview conducted by podcaster Karl Stefanovic, who asked several questions about how the Coalition could work together with One Nation.

Asked by Stefanovic if the conservative parties were “splitting the vote”, Taylor responded “I’m splitting nothing”, which elicited loud heckling from sections of the crowd. Several people yelled: “Answer the question”.

Taylor said he acknowledged “differences in view” among CPAC attendees, but said they were “united” in seeking political change.

Stefanovic stated: “You’re also fighting for your party’s survival”. Taylor replied: “Sure”, going on to claim the Coalition had previously been “frightened of our shadow”.

Stefanovic later interviewed Hanson and Canavan, the One Nation leader taking the seat just vacated by Taylor.

CPAC continues over Saturday and Sunday. Other conservative speakers include One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, former British prime minister Liz Truss, and shadow ministers Dan Tehan and Sarah Henderson.