Aug 21, 2026 · 9 min · 10 segments
*On The Streets* is a podcast by *Green Left* giving you bite-sized updates about the protest movements and grassroots campaigns across the country. On this episode, we discuss the student walk-outs…
Ben RadfordHost
Isaac NellistHost
Thousands of students joined protests across the country opposing the racism and bigotry of Pauline Hanson and One Nation on August 13.
The protests were called by the National Union of Students and buoyed by a big turnout of high school students who skipped school classes to attend the rally.
The impressive turnout reflects the anger among many young people that Hanson's far-right politics are getting such a big hearing in the corporate media and in turn being reflected in high polling figures across the country.
While One Nation has been consistently polling at 25-30%, its support among Gen Z 14-29 year olds is only about 10%.
The rally in Gadigal Country was electric, with big groups of students arriving with homemade placards, often still wearing their school uniforms.
Uni students rallied on campuses across the city before converging on Sydney Town Hall.
While many students travelled from nearby inner city high schools, others travelled from as far as the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and even regional New South Wales to join the rally.
About 2,000 students and supporters filled the square in Town Hall where they heard speeches from student activists and New South Wales Greens MP Jenny Leong.
References to Hanson, Barnaby Joyce and billionaire Gina Reinhart were met with boos while calls against racism, transphobia and misogyny were loudly cheered.
One student commented that it felt like a music festival because of the outpouring of energy and enthusiasm from youth.
While anti-racism and opposition to Hansen's monoculture were a key theme, many young people also held signs supporting LGBTIQ rights.
Large rallies also took place in most major cities and regional centres, with high school students at the rally in Mullabimba or Newcastle telling Green Left that they want a good future and with Pauline Hanson that's never going to happen.
About 200 people joined the rally at Dandenong Market to hear speeches from representatives of diverse ethnic and cultural communities who shared stories of everyday racism that they and their families have experienced before the rally marched to Harmony Square.
The rally was endorsed by a wide number of community organisations, unions and political parties.
It showed that multicultural Australia rejects Hanson's racist scapegoating and One Nation's call for a monoculture.
Thousands of students joined protests across the country opposing the racism and bigotry of Pauline Hanson and One Nation on August 13.
The protests were called by the National Union of Students and buoyed by a big turnout of high school students who skipped school classes to attend the rally.
The impressive turnout reflects the anger among many young people that Hanson's far-right politics are getting such a big hearing in the corporate media and in turn being reflected in high polling figures across the country.
While One Nation has been consistently polling at 25-30%, its support among Gen Z 14-29 year olds is only about 10%.
The rally in Gadigal Country was electric, with big groups of students arriving with homemade placards, often still wearing their school uniforms.
Uni students rallied on campuses across the city before converging on Sydney Town Hall.
While many students travelled from nearby inner city high schools, others travelled from as far as the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and even regional New South Wales to join the rally.
About 2,000 students and supporters filled the square in Town Hall where they heard speeches from student activists and New South Wales Greens MP Jenny Leong.
References to Hanson, Barnaby Joyce and billionaire Gina Reinhart were met with boos while calls against racism, transphobia and misogyny were loudly cheered.
One student commented that it felt like a music festival because of the outpouring of energy and enthusiasm from youth.
While anti-racism and opposition to Hansen's monoculture were a key theme, many young people also held signs supporting LGBTIQ rights.
Large rallies also took place in most major cities and regional centres, with high school students at the rally in Mullabimba or Newcastle telling Green Left that they want a good future and with Pauline Hanson that's never going to happen.
About 200 people joined the rally at Dandenong Market to hear speeches from representatives of diverse ethnic and cultural communities who shared stories of everyday racism that they and their families have experienced before the rally marched to Harmony Square.
The rally was endorsed by a wide number of community organisations, unions and political parties.
It showed that multicultural Australia rejects Hanson's racist scapegoating and One Nation's call for a monoculture.
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