Australia wants a leader like Putin - Hanson

Controversial Australian politician Pauline Hanson says Australians are calling out for a leader like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a wide-ranging interview on TV show Insiders, the One Party leader praised Mr Putin as patriotic, well-liked and an example of the strong leadership many voters wanted to see from their politicians.

Insiders host Barrie Cassidy questioned Ms Hanson on her public admiration for Mr Putin, citing comments she made earlier this month during one of her party's "weekly wrap-up" broadcasts on Facebook.

"I listened to a speech he gave in Parliament," she explained.

"Even the people here in Australia were saying, 'I wish we had a leader like that here, I wish someone would stand up and fight for this country'. That's what the people expect.

"I think he is a strong man and I think what I was reading is about 97 percent of people in his country respect him as a leader for their nation," Ms Hanson said, citing an unspecific opinion poll.

When Cassidy questioned the credibility of the poll, Ms Hanson quipped: "Do you believe everything you read?"

Ms Hanson then said she "couldn't care less about Russia" and her interests lay here in Australia.

Her comments were criticised by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who said Mr Putin's Russia should not be admired by any Australian politicians.

"Vladimir Putin's Russia is subject to international sanction to which Australia is a party because of his conduct in shooting down the [Malaysian Airlines flight] MH17, in which 38 Australians were killed," he said.

Ms Hanson made a political comeback last year, after first making waves with One Nation in the mid-Nineties.

Since returning as a senator, she has warned that Australia was at risk of being "swamped by Muslims" and has told immigrants unwilling to adapt to the Australian way of life they should "go back to where you came from".

- ABC