Could Secret Harbour set the stage for Hanson’s greater ambitions?

The Pauline Hanson who fronted a full house at Crown Perth’s Grand Ballroom on Tuesday morning was not the Pauline Hanson we all expected.

After her incendiary appearances in Britain alongside the far-right agitator Tommy Robinson and her firebrand turn on the Seven current affairs program Spotlight, Perth was bracing for the One Nation leader to come out all guns blazing.

However, Senator Hanson’s performance at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters breakfast event was controlled, purposeful, free of controversy (by her standards), leaving her sounding like one of those dreaded establishment figures she’s seeking to slay, Odysseus-like, in the upcoming battle for Australia’s hearts and minds.

Instead of leaning into the positions that have been her boilerplate for months, Hanson spoke at length about Western Australia, both celebrating the state as the country’s economic engine and outlining the challenges we face and the factors holding us back.

After the breakfast, the press pack grilled One Nation’s newly anointed candidate for the upcoming Secret Harbour byelection, 39-year-old Rockingham businessman Luke Herdigan, about his history of alcohol and drug abuse and his driving record. Hanson kept her cool and defended her party’s choice.

Such was Hanson’s determination to distance herself from recent controversies during her speech that when she addressed the subject of immigration it was numbers and not nationalities that were the cause for concern.

But it didn’t matter how hard or soft Hanson went because the WA audience, which was mostly made up of grassroots One Nation supporters with a smattering of business and political types, lapped it up.

They took special pleasure when Hanson levelled criticism at Anthony Albanese, an indication that she is now laying to claim to being the voice of conservative Australia.

Most significantly, Hanson discarded the cloak of doom and gloom that she normally wraps herself in and for which she has been criticised by Albanese (“I find it astonishing that Pauline Hanson has travelled overseas in order to denigrate and talk down Australia,” the prime minister said on Monday).

Echoing the plaque on the base of the Statue of Liberty, Hanson declared: “Bring me your problems and bring me your ideas because here’s what I believe: This country isn’t broken. It’s being held back. We can be a nation that makes things, builds things, and rewards the people who take a risk.”

Hanson’s pivot away from pessimism towards positivity even surprised the event’s host when it came time for a post-speech Q&A.

“Well, I think it might have surprised many people in the room, that speech,” said The West editor Chris Dore before proceeding to bring up the very issues she was so clearly avoiding.

But even when Dore raised the recent White Australia policy controversy, spurred by comments on Spotlight, Hanson kept held her position.

“Don’t go there with me,” snapped Hanson. “I’ll tell you what: I won’t stand for it.”

Indeed, there was so much love in the room for Hanson (and even more love for her European travel companion Gina Rinehart, who was not in the room) that she felt relaxed enough to talk about something journalists have been pressing her on for some months: Does she want to be prime minister?

Hanson paused before launching into a brief rundown of her political history, reminding everyone she was forced out of the party she’d founded and, after it was run into the ground, devoted herself to rebuilding it.

“Over that period of time I think I built up trust with the people, that I’m consistent with my views, my values, my passion and dedication for what I want for the country,” Hanson said.

“If I was ever in that position, which could happen in the next election, [of being] prime minister of this country, I could do it. I have no doubt about that.”

The election is two years away and Hanson hasn’t presented a plan for switching houses – a prerequisite for taking the top job if the One Nation juggernaut picks up even more speed.

But Tuesday’s Crown event certainly had the feel of a campaign launch.

“Pauline Hanson for PM.” Now that’s a T-shirt that will divide the nation

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