In a democracy, the press conference is one of the few remaining spaces where power must answer to the public. Australia's One Nation party has begun closing that space selectively — ejecting ABC and Guardian journalists from events while welcoming aligned outlets, a pattern that press freedom advocates say is less about fairness than about controlling what voters are permitted to know. The exclusions, unfolding since August across multiple states, coincide with a Victorian leader's admission of illegal drug use and drink driving — the very kind of disclosure that independent scrutiny exists t
ABC and Guardian condemn One Nation's media ban as democratic threat
When a politician decides who gets to scrutinize them, that's censorship.
Mark
So One Nation literally had security remove journalists from a press conference? That actually happened?
Mimi
Yes, on Tuesday at Crown Melbourne. They were escorted out once Ashby identified who they worked for. And it happened while Pickering was admitting to illegal drug use and drink driving—the exact moment scrutiny matters most.
Luke
But we should note: the Herald Sun was there and posted about it immediately. So the exclusion itself became news. One Nation didn't control that narrative.
Mark
Why would Hanson welcome Rebel News but ban the ABC and Guardian? That seems deliberately provocative.
Mimi
It signals which outlets she considers friendly. Rebel News is rightwing, aligned with her politics. The ABC and Guardian have reported on her party's finances, governance, internal relationships—the hard stuff.
Luke
Though we should be careful: Hanson said the ABC wasn't "fair." That's her claim. The reporting itself—on finances, on Rinehart's backing, on Lee Hanson's employment—those are documented facts, but "fairness" is subjective.
Mark
Ashby compared the ABC to domestic violence. That's a wild thing to say.
Mimi
It is. And Marks called it offensive to survivors. The comment seems designed to delegitimize the broadcaster rather than engage with any actual criticism.
Luke
It's worth noting Ashby said One Nation didn't want "morally bankrupt or corrupt media organisations" in the room. That's a serious accusation. But he didn't specify what he meant or provide evidence. It's rhetoric, not argument.
Mark
Does this actually threaten democracy, or is it just a party being difficult?
Mimi
If voters can't see what candidates are saying or doing, they can't make informed choices. That's the democratic problem. One Nation is seeking election—the public has a right to observe them.
Luke
True, but other outlets were there. The Herald Sun covered it. The Australian was at some events. So information did get out. The question is whether systematic exclusion of major outlets crosses a line, and whether that line matters legally or just ethically.
Mark
What comes next?
Mimi
That's unclear. Media organizations are calling for the ban to be reversed, but One Nation hasn't indicated it will comply. The exclusions may continue through the election cycle.
O Pulso
- Security guards physically removed an ABC reporter and a Guardian correspondent from a Crown Melbourne press conference the moment party director James Ashby learned who they worked for.
- The ejection happened in the same room where One Nation's Victorian leader Warren Pickering admitted to illegal drug use and drink driving — a disclosure that would ordinarily demand journalistic follow-up.
- One Nation has barred the ABC, the Guardian, and the Age from events since August while granting access to Rebel News, a pattern critics say is designed to curate coverage rather than enable it.
- Party director James Ashby compared One Nation's relationship with the ABC to a domestic violence dynamic, drawing sharp condemnation from the ABC's managing director and victim-survivor advocates.
- Media freedom advocates and editors warn the exclusions are a form of censorship that erodes the democratic right of voters to independent scrutiny of those seeking elected office.
In a democracy, the press conference is one of the few remaining spaces where power must answer to the public. Australia's One Nation party has begun closing that space selectively — ejecting ABC and Guardian journalists from events while welcoming aligned outlets, a pattern that press freedom advocates say is less about fairness than about controlling what voters are permitted to know. The exclusions, unfolding since August across multiple states, coincide with a Victorian leader's admission of illegal drug use and drink driving — the very kind of disclosure that independent scrutiny exists to surface.
On a Tuesday afternoon at Crown Melbourne, security guards escorted two journalists from a One Nation press conference after they identified their employers. The ABC reporter and Guardian correspondent had been invited, but once party director James Ashby learned who they worked for, he had them removed. The moment carried particular weight: One Nation's Victorian state leader Warren Pickering used that same press conference to admit to illegal drug use and drink driving — exactly the kind of disclosure that independent journalism exists to examine.
The ejection was not an anomaly. Since August, One Nation has systematically excluded major Australian news organisations — the ABC, the Guardian, and the Age — from press conferences and campaign events, while welcoming Rebel News, a rightwing outlet, into the room. Pauline Hanson cited unfair coverage to justify one exclusion. The Australian, which had broken the Pickering story, was turned away from a One Nation event in Sale the previous month.
The response from media leaders was swift. ABC managing director Hugh Marks called the bans an attempt to avoid scrutiny and control the information available to voters. He also condemned remarks Ashby made on the Today show, where the party director compared One Nation's relationship with the ABC to a domestic violence dynamic — language Marks described as offensive and harmful to victim-survivors. Guardian Australia editor David Munk said the public deserved better from elected politicians, and noted the outlet's extensive reporting on One Nation's finances and its ties to billionaire Gina Rinehart.
Peter Greste of the Alliance for Journalists' Freedom framed the exclusions plainly: any politician who decides which journalists may cover them is practising censorship. The pattern stretches back to May, when both outlets were barred from One Nation's election night party during the Farrer byelection. Each exclusion, advocates warn, narrows the window through which voters can observe the party — and raises the question of what One Nation is working to keep from public view.
On Tuesday afternoon at Crown Melbourne, security guards escorted two journalists out of a One Nation press conference after they identified their employers. The ABC reporter and the Guardian correspondent had been invited to cover the event, but once James Ashby, the party's national director, learned who they worked for, he ordered them removed. The timing was notable: during that same press conference, Warren Pickering, One Nation's Victorian state leader, admitted to illegal drug use and drink driving—precisely the kind of disclosure that typically warrants media scrutiny.
This was not an isolated incident. Since August, One Nation has systematically barred major Australian news organizations from its public events. The ABC, the Guardian, and the Age have all been turned away from press conferences and campaign announcements. Pauline Hanson, the party's leader, justified one exclusion by claiming the ABC did not provide "fair" reporting. At that August event, she welcomed Rebel News, a rightwing outlet led by Avi Yemini, into the room. The Australian newspaper, which had broken the Pickering story, was denied entry to a One Nation event in Sale, Victoria, the previous month.
The exclusions prompted swift condemnation from media organizations and press freedom advocates. Hugh Marks, the ABC's managing director, called the ban an attempt to "avoid scrutiny, control the media and influence the information available to voters." He also flagged comments Ashby had made on Wednesday's Today show, where the party director compared One Nation's relationship with the ABC to "domestic violence," saying the broadcaster was like "going back to some domestic violence relationship and just getting beaten every time they come through the door." Marks responded that Ashby's language was "inappropriate and offensive on so many levels, especially to victim-survivors."
David Munk, editor of Guardian Australia, said the public deserved better from elected politicians and their representatives. He emphasized that journalism's role in democracy depends on the ability to question those in power. The Guardian has reported extensively on One Nation's internal finances, party governance, and the substantial financial backing the party receives from Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest person. After Hanson's National Press Club address in June, she had attacked Guardian senior correspondent Sarah Martin for asking about her daughter Lee Hanson, who works as a senior adviser to a New South Wales One Nation senator despite living and working in Tasmania.
Peter Greste, executive director of the Alliance for Journalists' Freedom, framed the exclusions as a direct threat to democratic accountability. "When Warren Pickering said he would rather ban a media outlet than face greater scrutiny, he directly threatened to weaken our democratic system and our right as voters to know what is going on," Greste said. He characterized any politician deciding which journalists could cover them as practicing censorship—something, he argued, that should never be accepted in a functioning democracy.
The pattern extends beyond press conferences. In May, both the ABC and the Guardian were barred from One Nation's election night party during the Farrer byelection, when the longtime Liberal member Sussan Ley was defeated by One Nation's David Farley. Local ABC reporters were also rejected from One Nation media events ahead of that same byelection. Each exclusion narrows the window through which voters can observe the party and its candidates, raising questions about what One Nation is trying to keep from public view.
Citações Notáveis
Any politician deciding who gets to scrutinise them is practicing censorship, and in a democracy, that's something we should never accept.— Peter Greste, Alliance for Journalists' Freedom
The ban hinders the legitimate right of Australians to information about a party and its nominees who are seeking election to public office. It can only be seen as an attempt to avoid scrutiny, control the media and influence the information available to voters.— Hugh Marks, ABC managing director
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