Pauline Hanson had to change venues for her Melbourne fundraising dinner at the eleventh hour on Friday night, but anti-racism protesters weren't fooled. Some demonstrators who had planned to rally outside the original venue in Moonee Ponds jumped in their cars and headed south after word got out about the new location.

Victoria Police confirmed that Giorgio Casa, the Italian restaurant in Moonee Ponds that was to host the cocktail party, cancelled just hours before doors were due to open. Police said they weren't aware of any threats made against the venue. Hanson denied the protesters forced the change, claiming it was because "we had too many bookings".

Outside the new venue, an early protester chanted "Nazi scum off our streets" as guests in suits and cocktail dresses waited to get in. Some held anti-Hanson banners and chanted: "No racists, no fear, Hanson isn't welcome here." One guest laughed: "I wonder when they'll open the bar."

Hanson took aim at Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, whose leadership has been threatened by recent anonymous rumours of a potential challenge. "She'll be judged on her performance as premier for the state," Hanson said. "She's going to struggle to even keep her seat, and I've heard rumours that they will oust her before the election."

At Hanson's side, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce decried the strong police presence. "I mean, I thought we've arrived at Melbourne, not Pyongyang," he said. "This is political debate. People are allowed to have it. We're a free nation."

Inside the event, tickets cost between $200 and $500, and $2000 for a meet and greet with Hanson and Joyce. Guests included Lee Hanson (Pauline's daughter), Adam Giles (CEO of Hancock Agriculture and former chief minister of the Northern Territory), and Mark Nicholson (creator of the Please Explain cartoons). Also spotted were Toorak socialite Virginia Gibson, comedian Elliot Loney, Hanson's chief of staff James Ashby, The Block regular Danny Wallis, Hancock Prospecting media advisor James Radford, and Rikki-Lee Tyrrell, One Nation's only seat holder in the Victorian parliament.

Hanson received a rock star welcome from the crowd, with fans queuing for selfies. She told them she'd work with the Coalition if One Nation secures enough seats in the upcoming Victorian state election. "I'm going to give you the opportunity to vote for someone other than the two major parties," she said. "But I will work with a Coalition government because who needs to go is the toxic Labor government."

"There's this underground movement that's happening," Hanson said. "People say, 'We've had enough. We've had a gutful.'" She claimed One Nation has received almost 1200 expressions of interest from people aged 19 to 94 who want to stand for the party in the Victorian election.

She slammed the state of Victoria: "All I see is the corruption, the gangs on the streets, the crime that's happening, the break-ins, the carjacking."

The event capped off a fundraising blitz for One Nation, following earlier protests outside other One Nation fundraisers in Perth. Joyce told a radio station earlier in the day that party members wanted to be able to walk the streets "unmolested" by the left, who he accused of trying to infringe on their rights.