Barnaby Joyce says One Nation doesn’t want return of White Australia policy but backs Pauline Hanson on mass deportations

Barnaby Joyce has said Pauline Hanson does not back a return of the White Australia policy, while also supporting her call for what he described as “mass deportations” of people overstaying their visas, according to a monitored public feed from The Guardian World.

The comments come as Hanson and colleagues have spent days trying to clarify or walk back attention-grabbing elements of the One Nation leader’s recent trip to Europe. That trip included a podcast interview with far-right convicted criminal Tommy Robinson, an appearance at a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, and time spent by a hotel pool in Italy with mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.

Lee Hanson said her mother’s remarks on the Robinson podcast had been “misinterpreted,” adding another layer to the party’s effort to manage the fallout from the overseas visit.

Joyce’s intervention appears aimed at separating Hanson’s immigration stance from older racist policy language. Based on the feed summary, he rejected the idea that One Nation is seeking a revival of the White Australia policy, while endorsing her position on tougher deportation action against people who remain in Australia after their visas have expired.

The episode has placed renewed focus on One Nation’s messaging as its leader continues to face scrutiny over the images and associations linked to the Europe trip. The party has not just been defending one interview, but a cluster of moments that have drawn attention across several days.

This report is based on a monitored public feed and is attributed to The Guardian World.

Source: The Guardian World - https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/20/barnaby-joyce-one-nation-white-australia-policy-pauline-hanson-ntwnfb