“I Still Don’t Like The Gay Mardi Gras” Pauline Hanson Doubles Down On Historic Comments

Pauline Hanson says she still dislikes the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, standing by comments she made three decades ago despite acknowledging that Australia and its laws have changed.

The One Nation leader revisited her views during an interview on Sunday, days after the party attempted to distance itself from homophobic comments made by former Western Australian candidate Parminder Singh.

Hanson distanced herself from Singh following the comments, stating “He’s not standing for One Nation … they’re not my views.”

Pauline Hanson distances herself from Parminder Singh

Singh described homosexuality as a “mental illness” during an online interview with Perth content creator Jasky Singh, known as Mr Sikkant last week.

Asked whether he believed people were born gay, Singh responded: “No, no, it’s a mental illness.”

“No-one born anything … I blame on the parents because parents are too busy,” he said.

Singh, who unsuccessfully contested an upper house seat at the 2025 Western Australian election, subsequently apologised after his comments attracted widespread condemnation.

“I’m sorry I hurt people,” he said in a statement.

“I was repeating something I had heard people saying on social media about homosexuality being a mental illness.

“I should not have presented that as a fact. I respect everyone, and I believe every person in Australia should be free to live their life with dignity, equality and respect.”

However, Singh continued to object to LGBTQIA+ visibility and education.

“I respect everyone, I accept everyone, I just do not like the advertisement and this education in primary school,” he said.

“I told [Mr Sikkant] not to publish this, it is a wrong presentation of me.”

Mr Sikkant said drafts of the complete interview had been provided to Singh before publication and that Singh had not requested the removal of any material.

One Nation WA leader Rod Caddies distanced the party from the remarks, saying they did not represent its position and that gay people deserved to feel “equal in society”.

WA Labor minister John Carey, who is openly gay, argued the controversy reflected a broader pattern within One Nation.

“This is not the exception. This is the norm in One Nation. When you’re a party based on extreme issues, extreme views, that peddle hatred, no wonder that you collect candidates that are vile like this,” Carey said.

Pauline Hanson responds to Barnaby Joyce’s ‘gayest party’ remark

Following the statements Barnaby Joyce claimed One Nation was “one of the gayest parties in Australia”.

Asked about Joyce’s characterisation on Sunday, Hanson declined to endorse it.

“That’s Barnaby, and Barnaby is Barnaby,” she said.

“I know there are gay people that work for One Nation … and good on them” she continued.

“They got it on their merit, not because of their sexuality or … their preference. It’s none of my business and I don’t care.”

Pauline Hanson’s former chief of staff, James Ashby, is now the national party director for One Nation and an openly gay man who has long been associated with Hanson.

Hanson was then questioned about an interview she gave in 1996, during which she condemned the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, standing by her comments, but acknowledging the world has changed since.

“I don’t like it because it’s promoting something … that is not natural,” she said at the time.

Pauline Hanson says she doesn’t like the gay and lesbian Mardi Gras because it isn’t natural. pic.twitter.com/sgo0CJE5PI

— Anti-Feminism Australia (@AntiFeminismAU) July 3, 2026

Thirty years later, Hanson acknowledged that “the world has changed”, pointing to the legalisation of same sex marriage in Australia.

“Now that’s acceptable, and I’ve got no problem with it,” Hanson said, adding that “people can do what they want in their life”.

Her acceptance of marriage equality, however, did not extend to the country’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration.

“Do I like the gay Mardi Gras? No … I still don’t like the gay Mardi Gras, but that’s my opinion,” she said.

When asked to explain her opposition to the event, Hanson did not provide a specific reason.

“That’s my opinion,” she said.

Pressed again, she repeated “I just don’t like the gay Mardi Gras.”

“Have I ever been to one? No. Do I intend to go? No, I don’t.”

Hanson went on to argue that “your own personal sexuality should be kept … behind closed doors”.

“It’s no one’s business to do it out there with the gay Mardi Gras,” she said.

Her comments follow her widely criticised Press Club speech in June this year, which saw Hanson make several controversial comments about the transgender community.

“I refer firstly to the transgender insurgency” she stated.

“The transgender ideology has penetrated almost every regulatory authority and it is supported by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Anna Cody, who in government I would sack. So too, the head of the Human Rights Commission, Hugh de Kretser.”

Hanson continued to comment on transgender people in sport, and who should be allowed in what bathrooms, before launching into LGBTQIA+ organisations being involved in regulatory bodies.