{
  "id": 777247,
  "title": "I protested against Pauline Hanson 28 years ago – now my teenager is doing the same thing | Philippa Chandler",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/i-protested-against-pauline-hanson-28-years-ago-now-my-teenager-is",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-13T15:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian Australia",
    "slug": "the-guardian-australia",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/14/pauline-hanson-student-protests-mother-daughter-ntwnfb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1998, during my senior year of high school, my friends and I decided to skip school in protest against the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson. Fast forward to today, my daughter has joined a school walkout against Hanson. I allowed her to do so, as I understand the importance of standing up against discrimination and hate speech. When I was 16, I protested alongside my friends Steve, Kate, and Andrea outside the venue where Hanson was speaking. We were outraged by her insensitive statements, such as referring to herself as the \"mother of the nation,\" which we found deeply offensive. Our protest made headlines in our local newspaper, and while our employers were not pleased to see us gain attention, we were proud of our stance. As Hanson seems to thrive on media attention, perhaps it would be more effective to ignore her. However, I wonder if our actions inadvertently contributed to her rise to prominence. Now, my daughter attends a school that encourages students to express their views in constructive ways. I hope that in the future, young people will have more avenues to voice their concerns beyond school, such as participating in political processes or using social media platforms. In the 1990s, social media was not yet a reality, and we relied on creative methods like mimicking Hanson's famous question, \"please explain,\" and enjoying satire. Reflecting on my own activism, I have participated in numerous anti-racism protests alongside my daughter, including Black Lives Matter and various Indigenous rights rallies. As she has grown up in a multicultural neighborhood, racism is a pressing issue that affects her community. It is crucial that our children learn to stand up against discrimination, and I hope that my future grandkids will not have to resort to protesting against Pauline Hanson.",
  "summary": "In 1998, when I was in year 11, my friends and I wagged school to protest the One Nation leader. Now my daughter has joined the school walkout Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast At lunchtime on Thursday, my daughter left school, caught a bus and train into Melbourne’s CBD with her friends, and screamed her lungs out about Pauline Hanson . I gave her permission. I could…",
  "key_points": [
    "In 1998, protested against Pauline Hanson during high school senior year",
    "Daughter joined school walkout against Hanson, understanding discrimination",
    "Reflects on activism, hopes future generations won't protest against Hanson"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}