AFP investigates banner stunt during Pauline Hanson’s National Press Club speech

A banner was unfurled behind Pauline Hanson during her National Press Club speech. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP View image in fullscreen A banner was unfurled behind Pauline Hanson during her National Press Club speech. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP AFP investigates banner stunt during Pauline Hanson’s National Press Club speech Activist group GetUp claims responsibility for incident, saying ‘we thought the occasion deserved some honesty’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Australian federal police is investigating a protest incident during Pauline Hanson’s speech at the National Press Club after political activist group GetUp claimed responsibility for the stunt. In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, the National Press Club said it had referred the incident to police after concluding none of its own staff were involved. About 20 minutes into Hanson’s inflammatory address on Wednesday , a banner was unfurled behind her. The banner included an edited black-and-white picture of her with the words: “I opposed a pay rise for workers, while I took a $100,000 pay rise for myself.” 1:30 Pauline Hanson says Australia must be ‘monocultural’ in Press Club address – video Guardian Australia has confirmed ACT policing has received the complaint about the “alleged unauthorised access and interference with equipment at a building at Barton” and were onsite on Wednesday afternoon for forensic testing. The press club said it appeared “two persons entered the club building yesterday afternoon without permission and installed a separate drop-down screen in front of our media wall/light box”. “It is evident that a further person present during the address activated a remote device to trigger the unfurling of the coiled banner.” Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email GetUp sent an email at 1.57pm with the subject line “Hanson NPC Address: It Was Us”. The group’s chief executive, Paul Ferris, said the stunt was to draw attention to her voting record on measures to support cost of living. “Pauline Hanson has built her entire brand on being for the battlers. But her record tells a different story. One Nation has consistently opposed wage rises, affordable childcare, increases to the aged pension, and housing affordability measures,” Ferris’s statement said. “We thought the occasion deserved some honesty. So we provided it.” The press club said David Sharaz, a former journalist who now works for GetUp, was at the event and was “seen filming the incident on his phone”. Sharaz is also Brittany Higgins’ husband. “After the banner had lowered, [Sharaz] left abruptly,” the press club’s statement said. “We understand that this is likely to form part of the AFP investigation. “When the investigation has concluded, the club will consider its legal options against the perpetrators including recovering costs for the significant damage to the media wall/light box.” Pauline Hanson says Australia ‘must be monocultural’ in National Press Club speech R