Coalition “not winning any friends” by following One Nation’s lead, says Kooyong’s Monique Ryan

Kooyong MP Dr Monique Ryan says One Nation is "not fit to lead" Australia after party leader Pauline Hanson described domestic violence as a "two-way street" earlier this month.

Speaking to the Eastern Melburnian, Ryan said Hanson was “the wrong answer to the right question” for voters looking beyond the major parties, saying One Nation was “not a coherent political group with well-developed evidence-based policies”.

❌ Doubling down: Ryan said she had noticed growing anxiety among Coalition MPs in Parliament.

• However, rather than offering their own alternatives, Ryan said the Coalition was trying to match One Nation’s positions, pointing to its decision to abandon its commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

• 🗣️ “When they do things like playing catch up with One Nation in a race to the bottom on things like immigration, they're not winning any friends,” she said.

🎤 Comments criticised: Earlier this month, Hanson told Brisbane radio station 4BC domestic violence was “wrong” but a “two-way street”.

• Ryan said the remarks were “insensitive” to an important issue for Australians.

• 🗣️“Pauline Hanson and One Nation are not in a position to take significant leadership roles in this country,” she said. “I don't think that they're fit to lead.”

• Hanson has since posted the entire clip across her social media platforms, claiming there was “a concerted effort by some in the media to constantly take my comments out of context”.

Staying solo: Ryan also ruled out joining Community Strong Australia, the new party launched by independent MPs Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender in June.

• 🗣️ “I'll be sitting as an independent in 2028 at the next federal election,” she said.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, help is available 24/7 by calling 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.