‘Inflammatory’: Matt Canavan scathing of Pauline Hanson’s ‘good Muslims’ comments

Nationals’ senator Matt Canavan has criticised Pauline Hanson as “ill-disciplined” and “clearly not ready to lead” after the One Nation Leader’s Muslim slur during a TV interview on Monday night.

Senator Hanson had questioned how people can tell her “good Muslims” exist and warned Australia could either “reap the rewards” of a tough border stance or “suffer”.

“I’ve got no time for radical Islam, their religion concerns me because what it says in the Quran — they hate Westerners, and that’s what it’s all about,” she said.

“You say ‘oh well, there’s good Muslims out there’ well, I’m sorry, how can you tell me there are good Muslims?

Senator Hanson’s remarks prompted Sky News host Sharri Markson to interrupt and push back on her claims.

“There are a lot of moderate Muslims in Australia who are, as you put it, ‘good Muslims’,” Markson said.

Senator Canavan was scathing of Senator Hanson’s language while speaking on Sky News on Tuesday evening, labelling it as “clearly inflammatory and wrong” and insisting she had gone too far.

“It’s ill-discipline like this, which to me indicates that Pauline is not ready to be a prime minister,” he said.

“She’s effectively running for prime minister now - she’s opened herself up for that. She should be subject to the same scrutiny as anyone else running for that position.

“The statement is clearly inflammatory and wrong.”

Senator Canavan highlighted “Australian hero” Ahmed Al Ahmed, who helped save lives during the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on December 14 after disarming one of the two alleged gunmen.

“We only have to look at Ahmed Al Ahmed, just a few months ago, a great Muslim, an Australian hero, who saved many lives in Bondi by putting his own life at risk, confronting those terrible terrorists,” Senator Canavan said.

He highlighted that not even her new star recruit — former Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce — had defended his new leaders’ statements amid calls for her to apologise.

“Even Barnaby is not defending Pauline on her ridiculous statement that there are no good Muslims. One Nation is not the answer,” Senator Canavan said.

The dispute could pose as a conflict for Mr Joyce, after he publicly rejected Senator Hanson’s call in 2016 for a ban on Muslims and her call for security cameras in mosques.

Senator Canavan insisted she should “correct” the record and said it was particularly concerning as Australians appeared to be increasing support for One Nation in recent polling.

“You just can’t go around saying things like this. If you want to be a serious leader in Australia,” he said.

He echoed calls from Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke for her to apologise.

“They are comments not worthy of someone who holds public office. Please just apologise,” Minister Burke said in a statement to X.

While she had doubled down on her remarks in a social media statement on Tuesday, Senator Hanson issued a partial apology during an interview on ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday.

The minor party leader claimed she did not believe there are no “good” Muslims and highlighted a non-practising Muslim who stood as a candidate for One Nation.

“No I don’t genuinely believe that,” Senator Hanson said, apologising if she “offended anyone out there that doesn’t believe in sharia law, or multiple marriages, or wants to bring ISIS brides in, or people from Gaza that believe in a caliphate”.

“In general, that is what they want — a world caliphate. And I am not going to apologise … I will have my say now before it’s too late,” she added.

“I am at the end of my life and I worry the future of this nation.”

She also used the appearance to accuse the government of “bending over backwards” and called for a “far more stringent” vetting process for migrants.

Senator Hanson also claimed, without evidence, that there are Australian suburbs Westerners cannot enter — rattling off Lakemba as a place they were “unwelcome”.

“Maybe this is what sparked it... yesterday, I personally invited her to come to Lakemba. I sent her a letter to come out and experience our Lakemba Nights during Ramadan food market.

“You have people from all walks of life, come along and want to experience that beautiful food. The vast majority are not of the Islamic faith. I invite Pauline to come down.

“We all know that Pauline Hansen is all about grabbing the headline. The comments are another attempt to be devised and inflame a situation at a time when the country needs to be coming together and to be united.”

One Nation has maintained a consistent, long-term platform of drastically reducing immigration.

Senator Hanson famously wore a burqa into the Senate in 2017 and again in 2025 to raise her views to curb immigration, ban full-face coverings and increase national security.