Bombshell as Pauline Hanson makes stunning apology to arch-rival Anthony Albanese - before addressing calling Aboriginal Australians 'primitive'

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Pauline Hanson has issued an apology to Anthony Albanese over her comments about his late mother living in public housing commission for decades. The One Nation leader finally addressed the matter on Tuesday after she was accused of avoiding cameras following the fiery backlash to her remarks. The comments about Albanese's mother Maryanne were made on The Karl Stefanovic Show in January, before they were unearthed last week. asserted

'Senator Hanson, do you regret making comments about Anthony Albanese's mother?' a reporter asked. asserted

'I raised a comment with regards to housing commission. asserted

My comments weren't distasteful towards Anthony Albanese's mother at all,' Hanson responded. asserted

Hanson was asked a second time, before the One Nation leader caved and offered an apology to Albanese: 'I was referring to housing commission at that time, so if he's taken offence to it, well, I'm sorry for that.' asserted

The One Nation leader also apologised for labelling Aboriginal Australians 'the most primitive race on earth' during a separate interview on the Jamie J Podcast last year, co-hosted by former Liberal candidate and News24 presenter Jaimee Rodgers. asserted

'You used the word "primitive". asserted

Will you apologise for that?' a reporter asked Hanson on Tuesday. asserted

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has issued an apology to Anthony Albanese over her comments about his mother asserted

'If I've offended people by using that, yes, I will apologise for that,' the One Nation leader responded. asserted

'I will not back away from what needs to be discussed and we can't back away from what is happening in the country. asserted

I see the division that's happening in Australia. asserted

I've always advocated that we are Australians all together and should all be treated equally on a needs basis, not about race. asserted

Until we actually do that, we're not going to move on from what's happened in the past.' asserted

In the Karl Stefanovic Show interview, Hanson launched a harsh critique of the Prime Minister's remarks about his background, taking aim at his mother and the fact she lived for decades in housing commission accommodation. asserted

'Housing commission houses should not be there for people to live in them for 30, 40 (years) – and he said his mother lived in the same one she was born in for 65 years,' she said. asserted

It should be limited time; you have been given a hand up, move it on to the next ones coming through. asserted

Anthony Albanese grew up in social housing in Camperdown in Sydney's inner west, where his mother, Maryanne, lived on a disability pension because of chronic arthritis until her death In the Karl Stefanovic Show interview, Hanson launched a harsh critique of the Prime Minister's remarks about his background, taking aim at his mother and the fact she lived for decades in housing commission accommodation Hanson said she had grown up on a street with housing commission properties. 'It was a helping hand to those people, but they had jobs. asserted

And they worked,' she added. asserted

Albanese hit back on Sunday, mounting a passionate defence of his mother, who raised him as a single parent while battling serious health problems. asserted

'Firstly, she made comments about me complaining about growing up in public housing. asserted

Nothing could be further from the truth,' he said. uncertain

'I'm proud of the community in which I grew up. asserted

Albanese emotionally described his mother's life as a story marked by courage and sacrifice, rather than privilege. asserted

'She was someone who made the courageous decision in 1963 to keep a child out of wedlock, who is now the Prime Minister of Australia,' he said. asserted

In the Jamie J Podcast interview, Hanson recalled a conversation with a teacher from Western Australia, claiming the education system had shifted away from teaching broader aspects of Australian history Albanese recalled how his mother worked overnight cleaning offices in Sydney while raising him during the day, despite living with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis. asserted

'She had a tough life,' he said. asserted

'But you know what? asserted

She also had great sayings. asserted

One of them was, 'There's always someone worse off than yourself'.' In the Jamie J Podcast interview, Hanson recalled a conversation with a teacher from Western Australia, claiming the education system had shifted away from teaching broader aspects of Australian history. asserted

'A teacher from Western Australia wrote to me and said, "the whole curriculum has changed. asserted

We're not teaching Australian history about civil rights, about what's happened in the past",' Hanson said. asserted

She argued schools were placing too much emphasis on Indigenous studies and questioned the value of teaching Aboriginal culture. asserted

'We're actually all leaning towards this … teaching about Aboriginal culture and language. asserted

For what?' she said. asserted

Hanson then launched into a broader criticism of Indigenous Australians, claiming they had contributed little to the nation despite 60,000 years on the continent. asserted

'And I'll say it on your program, what the hell have they done in this country?' Hanson said. asserted

'You know, supposedly 60,000 years, they'd never invented the wheel. asserted

'What are we actually holding up? asserted

A few, you know, rock paintings. asserted