Over the years, Pauline Hanson has proven to be one of the most effective politicians in Australia. Like her or loathe her, people know her. They know of her, they know of her politics and unlike many modern-day politicians, her political views are clear.

If she possessed the oratorical and rhetorical skills of someone like the UK’s Nigel Farage, the Liberals would surely be in even bigger trouble than they currently are.

One Nation is enjoying previously unseen levels of support. Respectable polls are putting their share of the national vote somewhere between 10-14 per cent, compared to just 6.4 per cent at the May election.

One Nation’s increased support is entirely at the expense of the Coalition and although Barnaby Joyce and other Nationals appear destined to defect to One Nation, the greater harm is being done to the Liberal Party.

Since incurring one of the heaviest defeats in Australian electoral history, the Liberals have yet to provide any effective opposition against Labor, and even worse, have done little to inform the public of their basic values, let alone enunciate something resembling a conservative philosophy.

Meanwhile, to many, Pauline Hanson has filled the vacuum and is doing a convincing job of the Opposition Leader in waiting.

There has been no shortage of gratuitous advice as to how the Liberals can reverse their poor standing, often from those who have never voted Liberal nor have any actual interest in seeing the Liberals succeed, including the usual suspects in the Canberra press gallery.

The advice has varied: the Liberals have a systemic ‘women problem’; they must recognise the acceptance of Net Zero; an ethnocentric Australia now dictates there is no future in opposing unchecked mass migration; fighting the culture wars is a waste of time and energy.

It appears to be lost on those proffering such advice that the Liberals effectively held such positions at the last election, including being supportive of Net Zero and choosing to effectively remain silent on anything resembling a cultural or social issue.

It’s little wonder One Nation has more than doubled its support since the last election, and it is not just old white guys who are finding One Nation to be a more appealing alternative. Men and women across all age groups, from all backgrounds, including migrants, are looking for a genuine, conservative alternative.

Seemingly gone are the days when the Liberals knew what they stood for, including being the party of conservative values, championing the family as the cornerstone of our Judeo-Christian society, small government, favouring small business and free enterprise over ‘free’ markets. The so-called ‘broad church’ that former Prime Minister John Howard talks so fondly of, existed because of his strong leadership. When he departed the political landscape some 18 years ago, it effectively collapsed.

For proof, look no further than the Liberals – five leaders (Turnbull twice) in the space of a decade, and the current schism in the party where those from the conservative wing have either been banished to the backbench like Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, or voluntarily taken the step back out of pure frustration, namely Andrew Hastie.

After 80 years, maybe the Liberals simply have had their day and are no longer a relevant right-of-centre party? With a supporter base that is not only ageing but dying out entirely, and zero to no support from younger generations, this sign of this decay is perhaps best illustrated in metropolitan Adelaide where all Federal seats are held by the Labor Party.

Similarly in Melbourne, the Liberals hold only two seats – being the outer eastern suburban seat of Casey, and the bayside seat of Goldstein, recently won back from the Teals. In the rapidly growing outer suburbs of western and northern Melbourne where young families and first homeowners are the norm, tradies are ubiquitous with their large utes, suburban footy, and organised religion is both equally respected and practised, the Liberals hold not one single seat.

This brings us back to not just One Nation, but to the future of the right-of-centre parties in general, including the Liberals.

There is undoubtedly strength in numbers. What if those on the right were to recognise that, despite Labor’s primary vote at all-time historic lows, they are diluting each other’s votes and allowing Labor and the Greens a free ride?

What if the parties of the right were to come together and form one conservative party which could not only provide effective opposition to the Labor Party, but also form an intellectual base to develop policy and articulate values and beliefs?

It’s been done before. Bob Menzies did it in December 1944, in Albury, when he brought together the major players on the Australian right to formally endorse and create the Liberal Party.

And in doing so, he reshaped conservative politics and ultimately created a political dynasty that built post-war Australia.

Sam Duluk is the Treasurer of the Liberal Party of South Australia (SA Division)