IN BRIEF
- The One Nation leader has addressed reporters about her comments on Indigenous Australians.
- She also spoke about criticism of comments she made about Anthony Albanese's mother.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she "regrets" comments she made on a podcast describing Indigenous Australians as "the most primitive race on Earth" but said she would continue to speak out about issues she perceives about the community.
"If I've offended people by using that (word), yes, I will apologise for that," Hanson told reporters in Canberra.
"But I will not back away from what needs to be discussed."
Hanson, during an interview with the JJ Podcast a year ago, criticised the study of Indigenous history in schools.
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"What the hell have they done in this country for, you know, supposedly 60,000 years? They never invented the wheel. There was nothing there. What are we actually holding up? A few, you know, rock paintings?" Hanson said.
"Sorry, they're the most primitive race on Earth, and we're supposed to be holding up and saying what they've achieved. They've achieved nothing."
The comments sparked widespread outrage from politicians of all sides. Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy called on Hanson to apologise, labelling her words "outrageous, completely racist" and divisive.
Greens leader Larissa Waters said the comments were "vile" and whitewashed 60,000 years of "proud" Indigenous history, while Opposition Indigenous Australians spokesperson Julian Leeser said they "belittled" the country.
Speaking separately on News24 before addressing reporters, Hanson did not address whether she would apologise for the comments.
"If we go back to the time of settlement in Australia, they were primitive compared to ... the settlers that came out here from England. But I'm not talking those terms now."
But she said she "regrets" the comments.
"I regret saying that because I don't want to upset people. That's not my intention. That wasn't my intention, to hurt people."
She said she would continue to speak out about "accountability" — calling for an audit into Indigenous funding — "third world conditions" and abuse.
"Stop telling lies and stop the victimisation all the time," she said.
"We're teaching [kids] Aboriginal languages that no longer is going to give them a job. We're not going to give them any future. We have to be realistic."
Hanson also offered a qualified apology to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, after criticising his mother for spending decades in public housing and appearing to mock his story about growing up in housing commission.
"I don’t think my comments were derogatory towards his mother at all," Hanson said.
"I was referring to house commission at that time. So if he's taken offence to it, well, I'm sorry for that."
Albanese said he was proud of his upbringing and defended his mother as "way out of Pauline Hanson's league".
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