Guardian Australia visited Pakenham, a marginal electorate in Melbourne's outer south-east, to gauge voter reaction to Pauline Hanson's controversial National Press Club speech. One Nation is targeting the seat, held by Labor on a 0.4% margin, and polling strongly in the area.
Mixed Reactions on the Street
Chris Coomber, 52, a steelworker who previously voted Labor but plans to vote One Nation, said: "They just say what they feel. No bullshit. I mean, she probably lies like the rest of them do. But I actually haven't voted in, like, 12 years. Don't trust any of them." He cited migration, crime, and over-investment in infrastructure as reasons for his distrust.
Victoria Oh, 38, called Hanson "racist" and said cutting migration would be "a big loss to the Australian economy." She disagreed with Hanson's claim that childcare workers are overpaid, stating: "I believe that they deserve as much as they can get."
Support and Skepticism
Rochelle Bennett, 30, described voting as "trying to pick the better of two evils" and said all politicians are liars. She supported a "little bit of a crackdown on immigration" but criticized Hanson's stance on Uluru and her "monoculture" policy, noting Australia has always been multicultural.
Tara Coles, 42, said One Nation "make a lot of sense" and praised Hanson for being honest and putting "the average Australian first." She linked migration to housing scarcity, saying: "I know people that are borderline homeless now."
Strong Opposition
Katrina, 72, who requested anonymity, said Hanson is "racist" and that she has "never liked the woman. Never will." She added: "I think we'd be going backwards if we elected her."
Sam Mukherjee, 47, said One Nation is "giving a good fight to Labor" but lacks concrete plans. On Hanson's monoculture claim, he said: "I don't think she necessarily means that she is not inclusive." He called for planned migration with adequate infrastructure and housing.
Electoral Context
Former Labor strategist Kos Samaras described Pakenham as "classic One Nation territory," with working-class residents "pummelled" by cost-of-living pressures. The seat's popular Labor MP Emma Vulin is not recontesting due to illness, and Labor has preselected 23-year-old Alessandra Soliven as its candidate.
