Pauline Hanson has declared Muslim migration is the “elephant in the room” in Australia, insisting that her approach has “nothing to do” with a White Australia policy.Speaking in Perth at a packed business breakfast, the One Nation leader’s controversial comments were met with wild applause on Tuesday.In her speech, Senator Hanson reflected fondly on her time running a fish and chip shop in Ipswich, and backed herself as a potential prime minister as her party continues to rise in the polls.“If I was ever in that position, which could happen at the next election, to take on the position of being prime minister of this country, I could do it. I have no doubt about that,” she said.She even suggested Australia could offer a free one-way ticket for illegal immigrants to leave the country, praising US President Donald Trump’s policy.“We’ve got 18,000 people on watch list,’’ she said.“We’ve got a real problem that’s grown in this country of radicalisation. We’ve had a number of terrorist attacks by Muslims in Australia.“We’ve just had the biggest one ever last December at Bondi. You’ve got to call out the elephant in the room.“And I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t want people coming to this country from radical Islamic countries, I don’t want that here.”But when she was questioned on those remarks by West Australian editor Chris Dore, Senator Hanson bristled at the suggestion that cracking down on Muslim migration was akin to the White Australia policy.“No, it’s not. No, it’s not,’’ she said.“No, it’s got nothing to do with that. That’s not to do with the White Australia policy at all. So don’t go there with me. I’ll tell you what, because I won’t stand for it.“I wouldn’t have brought any of those people out from Gaza.“There was only a 24-hour investigation into them. How do we know who they are? “Go and ask Britain, Germany, France – all those people that are going over there. Go and ask them if it’s working out for them. Those people arriving – and I tell you, it’s not, and they’ve had a gutful. They’ve fed up with it, and the same thing here.“I would never have allowed those protest marches with Palestinian flags in our country. You want to go and protest? Go over to Palestine and protest over there, not on our streets.”Senator Hanson kicked off her speech by addressing her recent trip to the United Kingdom and her engagement with controversial far-right figure Tommy Robinson.Her chief of staff James Ashby has described the event as a “stitch up” that was arranged by Channel 7’s Spotlight.“Let me tell you straight. I sat down with a lot of people, some I agree with, some I don’t,” she said.“But Australians are sick of politicians who only ever talk to people who already agree with them.“I went to Britain to see up close what happens when a government gets things wrong. Immigration. Spending. Energy.”Earlier, she revealed in her speech that she learnt more working behind the counter of a fish and chip shop than she ever has in Canberra, accusing the Albanese Government of being stacked with people who have never run a small business.“Nobody in our house ever believed the world owed us any anything,’’ she said.“We were an ordinary Australian family. We worked for everything we had.“I left school at 15, and I’ve worked ever since. I set up a plumbing business with my husband. We employed apprentices, and we worked hard.“Some time later, as a single parent, I did what Mum and Dad did. I opened up my very own takeaway shop.“I still get emails from people who remember me giving them a free Mars bar when they were kids.“Most people in Canberra have never had to balance the books, never had to make rent, never had to make payroll, and it shows in every law they write.”Asked about her billionaire benefactor and friend Gina Rinehart, she defended her to the hilt.“Gee, she does a lot of good for this state,” she said. “You’re lucky to have her and all those taxes and royalties and jobs that she provides the state.”Mr Dore then asked Senator Hanson who was paying for her overseas trip, prompting the audience to grumble.“Will taxpayers be footing that bill for that trip, or will you be putting Mrs Rinehart name on the register of interest when that time comes?’’ Dore asked.“Chris, look straight at my eyes. It didn’t cost the taxpayer one cent for my trip overseas. Not one cent,’’ she said.“No one else gets questioned like I do. My God, my private life — it’s up there. “You know, this is a woman that’s done it tough, and I don’t know if you know her story. I suggest you go and read it and understand it. And you think that she’s come with silver spoons? She didn’t. She had to buy everything and was flat out in the very start to pay the bills. “And she’s built up that company. A very smart, clever woman.“She’s a very proud, patriotic Australian, and she sees the same in me.”Read related topics:Pauline Hanson