Full Breakdown
Pauline Hanson’s “Traitor” Campaign Against Andrew Hastie: A Test of Australia’s Anzac Myth
By Drooid · · How we work
The Incident
In September 2026, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson labeled Liberal frontbencher and former SAS operative Andrew Hastie a “traitor” eight times on social media and posted a cartoon depicting him as such. She refused to apologise after condemnation from the Returned and Services League (RSL), Senator Jacqui Lambie and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. Barnaby Joyce later issued a back-handed retreat, while billionaire donor Gina Rinehart defended the attacks.
Background and Context
Australia’s national identity has long been anchored in the Anzac myth, which elevates the soldier as the embodiment of the nation. Critics argue that this “civic religion” makes military service the highest currency of belonging, allowing political actors to invoke or discard the symbolism as expedient.
Key Figures
- Pauline Hanson – One Nation leader and vocal critic of Hastie.
- Andrew Hastie – Liberal frontbencher, former SAS veteran who testified in a defamation case involving Ben Roberts-Smith.
- Ben Roberts-Smith – Former soldier facing five war-crime murder charges.
- Gina Rinehart – Billionaire donor to One Nation and public defender of Roberts-Smith; purchased the “Ben Roberts-Smith Beach Houses” for $8.75 million.
- Kerry Stokes – Financier of Roberts-Smith’s defence.
- Senator Jacqui Lambie – RSL member who condemned Hanson’s remarks.
- Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles – Joined the condemnation.
- Barnaby Joyce – Former leader who offered a reluctant retreat.
Timeline
- Justice Anthony Besanko described his evidence as “honest and straightforward” and called Roberts-Smith a liar.
- September 2026 – Hanson repeated the “traitor” label eight times, posted the cartoon, and refused to apologise after criticism from the RSL, Lambie and Marles.
- Later that month – Joyce issued a personal retreat, while Rinehart continued public defence of Roberts-Smith and unveiled the renamed veteran housing complex.
Data and Statistics
- Eight instances of the word “traitor” used by Hanson against Hastie.
- Five war-crime murder charges pending against Ben Roberts-Smith.
- $8.75 million spent by Rinehart to purchase and rename an apartment block as the “Ben Roberts-Smith Beach Houses.”
Official Statements & Responses
The RSL condemned Hanson’s attacks as an affront to genuine veterans. Joyce offered a “personal retreat” that stopped short of a full apology. Justice Besanko’s courtroom comments highlighted the contrast between Hastie’s testimony and the alleged falsehoods of Roberts-Smith.
Why It Matters
The episode shows how Australian nationalist symbolism can be weaponised when political interests clash with reverence for military service. Hanson’s campaign reveals the fragility of the Anzac myth: rhetoric that defends “real” Australians can be turned against a veteran whose testimony threatens powerful allies. The involvement of billionaire donors blurs the line between genuine commemoration and myth-making that elevates an accused war criminal into a cultural icon.