Senator Malcolm Roberts, a member of the One Nation party, has drawn renewed attention following the emergence of remarks made in a 2021 podcast where he suggested the September 11 terror attacks were a hoax. These comments have surfaced shortly before the 25th anniversary of the attacks, intensifying scrutiny on One Nation’s personnel and policy positions.
Roberts’ 9/11 Conspiracy Theory Detailed
In the 2021 podcast episode titled ‘Don’t Be Deceived,’ Senator Roberts posited that the collapse of the World Trade Center towers was the result of controlled demolitions, a central tenet of a prominent 9/11 conspiracy theory. He specifically questioned the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7, a 47-storey structure that was not directly hit by a plane. Roberts stated on the podcast, hosted by right-wing activist George Mamalis, “What caused Building 7 to collapse? How did that collapse?” He further questioned the lack of formal inquiries into the event by successive US presidencies, noting, “George W. Bush was president at the time – he never had a formal deep inquiry into that event. His incoming president replacement Obama never had an inquiry. Why not? They’re pretty fundamental questions for me.”
Official investigations, including a three-year study by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), concluded that Building 7 collapsed due to uncontrolled fires that were ignited by debris from the catastrophic failure of the nearby North Tower. These fires weakened the building’s structure over several hours, leading to its eventual collapse.
Senator Roberts has a history of promoting controversial viewpoints. He has previously promoted the work of Holocaust deniers and shared tropes concerning Jewish bankers. In September of the previous year, Roberts indicated he had not “done the research on 9/11 at depth” and expressed lingering questions about the event.
Broader Pattern of Controversial Statements
The resurfaced 9/11 comments add to a pattern of statements by Senator Roberts that have caused difficulties for his party leader, Pauline Hanson. Hanson herself faced criticism in 2019 for questioning the Port Arthur massacre. Earlier this year, Roberts did not dismiss suggestions that the Bondi massacre was a “false flag” operation when questioned on the matter.
In a July opinion piece published in The Spectator Australia, Senator Roberts explicitly rejected claims that he endorsed certain conspiracy theories. He wrote, “Do I subscribe to the chemtrail conspiracy? No. That claim is false.” He also stated, “Do I subscribe to 9-11 conspiracy theories and school shootings? Of course not.” Despite this clarification, the earlier podcast remarks continue to generate debate.
Roberts has also previously suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic was manufactured, expressed admiration for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and indicated it was plausible that the US was involved in “chemtrail” testing.
Party Response and Internal Dynamics
Pauline Hanson initially defended Senator Roberts, suggesting that media coverage had taken his remarks out of context. In August, she stated, “I think the media has taken a lot of it out of context as well and without fully looking at what he said. I have the utmost respect for Malcolm Roberts.” However, not all colleagues have been as supportive. One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has reportedly been less supportive of Roberts. Speculation exists within the party that Roberts might be replaced in the Senate by strategist James Ashby.
The only federal parliamentarian outside of Hanson to offer a strong defence of Roberts is Liberal Senator Alex Antic.
These controversies surrounding Senator Roberts have reportedly caused unease among his colleagues. The party is currently navigating several other challenges, including scrutiny over financial dealings involving Senator Hanson, who reportedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the party for claimed loans, though no evidence suggests she personally provided the funds. A party spokesperson stated, “All loans by Senator Hanson have been appropriately recorded. Past campaigns have required loans provided by Senator Hanson to bolster federal campaign budgets when banks would not consider lending to the party.”
One Nation is experiencing a rise in opinion polls but faces criticism regarding the background of its Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, the past drug use of a recent byelection winner in Western Australia, inconsistencies in its migration policy messaging, and the controversial labelling of Liberal MP Andrew Hastie as a “traitor” in a cartoon.
Broader Political Context
In the 2021 podcast, Senator Roberts also asserted that the September 11 attacks were used by then-Prime Minister John Howard as a pretext for war. He appeared to momentarily struggle with the event’s name, asking, “What do they call that: the 9/11?”
In a separate parliamentary address marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor praised John Howard’s decision-making, stating Howard was correct to invoke the ANZUS agreement, acknowledging the subsequent wars in the Middle East had shortfalls. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated agreement with Taylor’s assessment during the parliamentary debate.
