The National Press Club has apologised to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson after her inaugural leader's address was disrupted by a protest banner criticising her party's opposition to a minimum wage increase.
A large yellow banner descended behind the right-wing party leader as she delivered her speech focused on immigration and the cost of living.
It said: "I voted against a tax break for low-paid workers while I took a $100,000 pay rise."
The National Press Club said in a statement that the incident had been referred to police.
"It appears that two persons entered the club building [on Tuesday] afternoon without permission and installed a separate drop-down screen in front of our media wall/light box," the statement said.
"A further person present during the address activated a remote device to trigger the unfurling of the coiled banner ... No club personnel or club contractors had any involvement in this matter."
Left-wing activist group GetUp took credit for the banner.
David Sharaz, GetUp's media lead, was seen filming the incident on his phone and, after the banner had lowered, left abruptly.
Footage of this has been referred to the Australian Federal Police.
"The club sincerely apologises to Senator Hanson for the incident," the statement said.
Senator Hanson was largely unruffled by the interruption and continued speaking as staff ripped down the banner, but later accused the media of being part of a political establishment that was refusing to listen to voters' concerns about immigration, multiculturalism and the cost of living.
National Press Club president and Sky News journalist Tom Connell, sitting on stage alongside Senator Hanson, quietly apologised for the interruption.
The club's president Maurice Reilly immediately chastised the protesters, saying: "We don't do stunts."
GetUp chief executive Paul Ferris said in a statement: "We thought the occasion deserved some honesty. So we provided it."
"One Nation has consistently opposed wage rises, affordable childcare, increases to the aged pension, and housing affordability measures."
It's understood that Mr Sharaz bought a ticket to the high-security event.
The club plans to consider its legal options, including recovering costs for any damage to the media wall and light box, when investigations have been completed.
Senator Hanson, who this month overtook Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister in a Resolve poll, accused the mainstream media of underestimating One Nation and doubting its rise even after the party won seven seats in the South Australian election, then elected a lower-house federal MP for the first time in the Farrer byelection.
"You actively tried to stop it with your usual double standard attacks," she said.
"With every attack, our support just keeps growing ... Australians aren't buying this crap from the political establishment and its media supporters anymore."
But she acknowledged that with her increasing popularity, it was the job of journalists "to scrutinise my party".
"One Nation's new support brings with it much greater responsibility," Senator Hanson told the Canberra press gallery members seated at the media table.
"I can assure you that One Nation, its administration, its candidates, and its leadership will prove we can deliver ... I will admit I'm an elected representative, and I should be scrutinised."
But she said that "doesn't give you the license to pile on, it doesn't give the license to delegitimise my party, it doesn't give you the license to say preferencing One Nation is immoral.
"It doesn't give you the license to continue to repeat the lie that we are a racist party, because that is untrue. The Australian people can make up their own mind."
During her 5550-word speech, Senator Hanson declared multiculturalism a "failed policy" and said Australia must be "monocultural". She also attacked Muslim ideology and what she described as "transgender ideology" within the bureaucracy.
"There will be big changes if One Nation is given the chance," she said.
The One Nation leader heaped criticism on the media while being questioned by journalists in the audience including the ABC - which she said would only be free for rural and regional Australians if she became prime minister - and SBS, which she vowed to abolish.
"I don't answer to the media, I answer to the Australian people," she said. "Australians' trust in media, the government and public institutions is at an all-time low."
She told SBS World News chief political correspondent Anna Henderson: "You're going to be without a job."
Senator Hanson, who banned the ABC from One Nation press conferences during the Farrer byelection, said the national broadcaster "has proven itself to be completely in denial about its profoundly transparent political bias and the activists and its ranks, yet they think of themselves as a pillar of democracy."
"The arrogance is stunning in its scope," she said. "It is partly for this reason I have at times refused ABC interviews. I will continue to do so."
The One Nation leader directed her strongest comments at Guardian Australia senior correspondent Sarah Martin, calling the reporter "a trashy journalist" for daring to ask if the One Nation leader had a role in her daughter Lee Hanson's $150,000 taxpayer-funded advisor role to the party's NSW senator Sean Bell.
In a final word to media outlets, Senator Hanson offered advice.
"You have to earn the trust of the Australian people," she said.
"I am confident I can."
