WA Premier Slams Hanson as 'Career Politician' Who Blames Minorities – One Nation Fires Back

WA Premier Roger Cook has launched a blistering attack on Pauline Hanson, calling the One Nation leader a "career politician that's always resorted to division to try to create anger."

Speaking at the Urban Development Institute of Australia WA breakfast on Thursday, Cook responded to Hanson's hour-and-a-half National Press Club speech on Wednesday. There, she outlined plans to clamp down on Muslim migration, end multiculturalism, and axe the government's climate change department.

Cook acknowledged there's real anxiety in the community about the future. But he said some politicians are exploiting that fear for political gain.

"Pauline Hanson, in particular, she's been doing this for 30 years, and the one community she always blames, always blames for people's struggles and anxieties are minorities," Cook said.

"When she was first elected, it was the Asian community. It then became the Aboriginal community. Today it's Muslims. Tomorrow it's going to be a gender diverse community."

He called Hanson's agenda an attack on "everything which represents harmony and inclusion in our community."

"As one, we should all stand up, because it is an attack on us, it's an attack on our community, and it's an attack on the future of our economy."

The Premier also took aim at WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas, who recently said he was open to working with One Nation ahead of the 2029 election.

"What Pauline Hanson's trying to do is to take this line of monoculture and create division in our community," Cook said.

"It doesn't matter if your ancestors are from Greece, from Italy, from Asia, Pauline Hanson is against you, and Basil Zempilas has signed up to that agenda."

Zempilas, whose family background is Greek, pushed back. He said he doesn't agree with many of Hanson's views and is on the record saying so. But he's open to working with anyone who wants to get rid of Labor.

"What I do agree with is those in our community that want to get rid of a bad Labor government," Zempilas said. "That appears to be what One Nation are promoting, and it is something that we are promoting."

One Nation's WA leader Rod Caddies didn't hold back. He said he could "come up with a million ways to criticise Cook's destructive Labor government."

Caddies pointed to the record number of homeless, chronic budget blowouts, the cost-of-living crisis, and what he called mass migration crushing wages and destroying the dream of home ownership.

He called Cook's attacks self-serving, saying the Premier knows One Nation is the favourite in seats like Kwinana and Secret Harbour.

"He knows that we're the favourites in Kwinana, he knows we are the favourites in Secret Harbour, and he knows we are the greatest threat to his majority," Caddies said.

"So all I can say to Roger is, when you get back to your luxury penthouse one hour outside your electorate, come up with some punchier and more inventive attacks."

The exchange highlights the growing tension ahead of the next state election. One Nation is eyeing Labor-held seats where cost-of-living pressures are biting hard. Cook is trying to frame the choice as between inclusion and division.

But with the Liberal leader keeping the door open to One Nation, the battle lines are getting messy. For now, both sides are digging in.