Hanson takes aim at Coalition in fiery pitch to conservative voters

Pauline Hanson has used a speech at a conservative conference to urge voters to abandon the Coalition, while acknowledging she would work with them if it meant removing Labor from government.

In a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane, the One Nation leader described Opposition Leader Angus Taylor as a "smarmy management consultant" and said the Liberal Party was responsible for Australia's climate change commitments.

"The Liberals signed us up to Paris and net zero. The Liberals legislated the safeguard mechanism, and Labor locked the targets into law and made them even worse," she said.

"They signed us up to this mess, so why would we trust them to get us out of it?"

Ms Hanson pledged to hold a royal commission into net zero climate targets, should One Nation be elected.

And she further criticised the Coalition for creating the office of the eSafety Commissioner, a position she has pledged to abolish on the grounds it infringes on free speech online.

Both Ms Hanson and Mr Taylor addressed CPAC — a spin-off of conservative conferences held in the US and UK — on Saturday morning, taking aim at the Albanese government and pitching themselves as the conservative alternative.

It was the first time a Coalition leader has addressed the annual forum, although notable Liberal figures like Tony Abbott and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price have addressed it in recent years.

But while Senator Hanson sharply criticised the Coalition, Mr Taylor made almost no mention of One Nation.

His speech made just one apparent indirect reference to Senator Hanson, referencing her dominance of the One Nation party and brand.

"Good government isn't built around one figure. You need a strong team," he said.

And he opened the speech by referencing a number of "mistakes" the Coalition made in government, acknowledging to the audience that "some of you may have doubts".

He pointed to areas like immigration policy, climate change and government spending during the pandemic as policy failures under Coalition governments.

"We made the mistake as a government of signing up to net zero — which I detested from the get-go," he said.

"Your frustrations about where we let you down in the recent past are understandable and reasonable. Believe me, I share them."

Both leaders reserved their strongest attacks for the Albanese government — Mr Taylor arguing it was leaving Australians "poorer, weaker, and demoralised", and Senator Hanson calling it "wretched and corrupt".

Hanson says ON would work with Coalition

Despite her strong rhetoric on the Coalition, Senator Hanson made clear that One Nation would work with them if it meant changing the government.

"One Nation will work with the Liberals and Nationals to remove this horrible Labor government and deliver something better," she said.

"That's what you, the people, want. It's the will of the people."

She referenced her time in prison after a 2003 conviction for electoral fraud, later quashed on appeal, under the Howard government, but said she would put "personal grievances aside".

"Yes, I do have reasons to hold a grudge, but I also have children and grandchildren," she said.

"Their futures and your futures matter more."

In a later speech, Nationals leader Matt Canavan also struck a more conciliatory tone — urging those on the right of politics not to become caught up fighting among themselves.

"My message to you today is, look, we do wear lots of different colours. I get that," he said.

"There's lots of different people here.

"But the one thing we have to do at the next election is all put the Labor Party last. That's what we've got to do."