Does Pauline Hanson's claim of growing support in the ACT pass the pub test?

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has asserted that her party is experiencing a surge in support within Canberra, Australia's capital, a city traditionally seen as left-leaning. Hanson claimed that locals at the Kingston Hotel, a popular spot in the city's inner south, are increasingly approaching her for photos and expressing pleasure at seeing her. "It's going extremely well here," Senator Hanson stated, suggesting a growing local following.

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Go to the Kingo. I tell you, I just get so many people come up to me wanting photos and to talk to me, and they're really pleased to see me.

However, the sentiment on the ground appears divided. Peter, a retired resident, expressed skepticism, stating he couldn't imagine Hanson being popular in his old local pub and found her ideology naive. He believes the Canberra community is not as easily swayed as Hanson might imagine. Conversely, Donna, a local resident, voiced her support, believing Hanson champions the Australian people and aims to preserve Australian culture. She feels Hanson speaks her mind in a way many would like to emulate.

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This was my local pub as a kid and I can't imagine Pauline Hanson being too popular in here. I think it's naive, the way she thinks. We're not as naive or blasé as what she possibly imagines or what that ideology imagines. We're not as racist, I think, as some of the arguments she presents.

Adding to the debate, Jake, a tradesperson and former Liberal voter, lamented the current economic situation, attributing slow business to cost-of-living pressures. He believes Australia is "gone to shit" and needs significant change, aligning with a sentiment Hanson often taps into. Despite these varied opinions, the article notes that One Nation garnered only 2.4% of the vote in the ACT during the 2022 federal election, casting doubt on the widespread local support Hanson claims.

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I think that she actually does support the Australian people and would love to keep the Australian culture alive and for me, that's really important. Especially in the line of work that I do, working with the underprivileged and the disabled people, I think she would be definitely up there supporting us and supporting us in that realm of working life. She's actually speaking her mind and saying the things that we would love to say but haven't been able to say in the past.

Hanson's comments were made during an address to the National Press Club, where she also mentioned her general avoidance of Canberra. The article questions whether her claim of rising local support holds up under scrutiny, presenting contrasting views from ordinary citizens in the very location she cited.

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Everyone's paying through the nose. There's no one here. Look at the country now. It's gone to shit. You can't say it hasn't. Australia needs to change, mate. Badly.