Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts deride family law system, calling DV a ‘weapon’ and court a ‘slaughterhouse’

Comments by Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts, newly unearthed by Guardian Australia, show the full breadth of One Nation’s criticism of the family law system. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Comments by Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts, newly unearthed by Guardian Australia, show the full breadth of One Nation’s criticism of the family law system. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts deride family law system, calling DV a ‘weapon’ and court a ‘slaughterhouse’ Exclusive: Resurfaced comments by the One Nation leader underline her criticism of paid family violence leave and domestic violence support groups Pauline Hanson told a podcast last year she believed “your employer should not be responsible” for providing paid domestic violence leave, while her colleague Malcolm Roberts recently referred to the family court as the “slaughterhouse of the nation”, in the latest One Nation comments critical of the family law system to emerge. Hanson claimed on a 2021 podcast that domestic violence was being “used as a weapon” in court proceedings, and criticised domestic violence groups for focusing on support for women. “I feel for the children, I feel for the parents and I’m sick of these feminists who are trying to take over this whole thing and who are actually driving their own agenda. I’m sick and tired of hearing that men are the only perpetrators and they’re denied the right to see their children,” Hanson told the Dad Talk Today podcast in 2021. Pauline Hanson’s domestic violence comments were no stumble Read more Hanson’s past comments on domestic violence have drawn renewed scrutiny after a 4BC radio interview last week in which she said family violence was “wrong” but “it’s also a two-way street”. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email In an interview with the Broken Fathers podcast last year, Hanson described paid leave for those experiencing family and domestic violence as “ridiculous”, calling it “domestic violence holiday leave”. She also suggested domestic violence was taking police away from “real crime” and called for the family law system to be “wound back”. Hanson later claimed her 4BC comments had been taken “out of context” and denied she had downplayed domestic violence. But the newly unearthed comments show the full breadth of One Nation’s criticism of the family law system. In an interview with Hanson for a podcast titled Unemployable Media in January 2025, during a discussion about challenges facing business owners, the podcast host brought up the issue of domestic violence leave. Pauline Hanson’s comments about domestic violence are more than vile. They are dangerous for women | Nicole Yade Read more “Nobody in Australia would say domestic violence isn’t a horrible thing, but you’ve got 10 days,” the host began saying, before Hanson interjected. “It should not be tied up in your employment. Your employer should not be responsible,” Hanson said. The federal Lab