Pauline Hanson might as well have been a delegate at Labor’s national conference in Adelaide this week. Invoked directly, alluded to, dismissed and feared, the One Nation leader was everywhere – proof she is on the minds of more than just the opposition 18 months out from the next election.
As the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, fired up Labor’s political engine to fight for a third term, any idea that Hanson and her insurgent populist project isn’t upending Australia’s political reality should be done away with.
Hanson's Controversial Week
Hanson has had quite the week. Back from her tour to meet conservative and far-right figures in Britain – including a stop in Sicily with her billionaire patron Gina Rinehart – she struck out with Channel 7 over their Spotlight profile on Sunday night. The Queensland senator then stoked outrage by describing domestic violence as a “two-way street”, language family violence experts said was potentially dangerous to women. Hanson, who herself has experienced violence in the past, said that women could “lose their cool”. Women at risk of violence should simply leave, she said.
On Friday it emerged Hanson had used an appearance on a podcast called Broken Fathers to describe paid leave for domestic violence victims as “ridiculous”, and suggested the issue was distracting police from “real crime”. She called for the family law system to be wound back.
Scandals Fail to Dent Support
Like clockwork, Hanson’s backers claimed she had been taken out of context. Hanson herself posted the full comments to Brisbane radio station 4BC on social media, attempting to show the backlash was unjustified. But the post actually revealed the comments were reported completely in context: Hanson had risked justifying violence against women and blaming victims for the appalling conduct of their abusers.
After decades on the political scene, she has no credibility on rule of law and no credibility on the actions of pathetic men. Her fawning podcast appearance with convicted criminal Tommy Robinson would be disqualifying for any normal political leader, even before the pair engaged in racist stereotypes and lamented the end of the White Australia policy.
One Nation regularly justifies its shadowy use of private benefits, insisting that taxpayers have not contributed to the cost of travel. This wholly misses the point that privately funded perks are corrosive to politics and transparency is required.
Populist Surge and Economic Uncertainty
Expectations that One Nation’s polling surge was starting to recede were dampened on Monday when the Newspoll showed the party recovering to a primary vote of 30%, on par with Labor and ahead of the Coalition on 19%. Pollster Kos Samaras pointed out that roughly four in five current One Nation supporters were somewhere else 18 months ago, even though he categorises this cohort as “renting their vote to Hanson”, not giving it to her permanently.
The going might stay good for Hanson for a while yet. New data crunched by Michael Read at the Australian Financial Review shows Australia is heading for its weakest decade of living standards growth since 1910, with GDP per person increasing by just 4% so far this decade.
Labor's Response
Albanese and the new Labor national president, Kate Ellis, say the party’s best defence against One Nation’s rise is policies that actually improve people’s lives, pointing to meaningful cost-of-living assistance, including on energy and childcare fees. Speakers at the conference talked up help for families, students and low-income earners, and measures to help strengthen communities, as possible shock absorbers for frustration and fears growing around the country.
Albanese told delegates the party would demonstrate to voters that hard work will indeed pay off. Maybe he has a plan to take on Hanson, like he always claimed he did for Peter Dutton, mostly after the fact.
But if he does have a winning strategy, he should tell his peers overseas what it is. Because, so far, no one else has found a way to substantially slow the rise of the far right. Albanese is fond of saying that people underestimate him. He should be careful he doesn’t do the same with Hanson.
