One Nation has rocketed to a record-high 15 per cent primary vote in Newspoll, while the Coalition languishes at an all-time low of 24 per cent. Is this a seismic realignment that will redefine the conservative vote in Australia? Let’s hope so. Something needs to happen and fast.
Hanson’s party, long dismissed by the political elite as a fringe element, is now capitalising on voter disillusionment with the mainstream right. Issues like immigration, cost-of-living pressures, climate hysteria, and national identity are resonating louder than ever. Post-election analysis shows a drift of conservative voters away from the Liberals, fuelled by the Coalition’s inherent belief that they can out-left Labor.
In contrast, One Nation’s unapologetic stance has propelled it forward, with support surging since the election. Young voters like 19-year-old Liam McPherson (quoted by the ABC if you can believe it) exemplify this trend, highlighting generational shifts in political allegiances.
Meanwhile, Sussan Ley’s leadership is in freefall. Her net approval rating has plummeted to minus 33, amid weeks of infighting, resignations, and public squabbles within the Liberal Party. Polls reveal a terrible result for Ley, with her popularity slipping further as the party grapples with inner turmoil.
Ley appears to be avoiding the tough conversations within her own ranks, dodging direct addresses to unify the party amid whispers of leadership spills. This reticence stands in sharp relief to Hanson’s bold international forays.
Let’s not forget that Albo took forever to get a selfie with President Trump. Pauline Hanson was invited to Mar-a-Lago. Kevin Rudd must be livid.
In the meantime, Ley is navigating domestic disarray while Hanson basks in the global spotlight. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
Pauline Hanson was invited to speak at the prestigious CPAC Circle Retreat and Gala at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, rubbing shoulders with conservative heavyweights. Hanson even attended Donald Trump’s Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago estate, signalling her rising stature on the world stage.
To put Pauline Hanson’s international presence into perspective, she was in good company with Argentine President Javier Milei. Milei’s libertarian reforms and anti-establishment rhetoric mirror Hanson’s own chainsaw approach to bureaucracy, and it’s working.
Emboldened by these gains, One Nation is plotting an ambitious expansion.
Hanson has announced plans for a greater nationwide push, supported by a proposed name change (dropping the founder’s name from the party name) and the recent establishment of a branch in Wagga Wagga. This strategy aims to siphon more votes from the Coalition, potentially overtaking it as Australia’s dominant conservative force, much like conservative parties have in Europe.
The implications are profound and there are two possible outcomes.
One, if the Coalition doesn’t address its fractures and reclaim its base, One Nation’s ascent could fragment the right-wing vote and ensure Labor’s dominance for years.
Two, Hanson, once a pariah, is now a political powerhouse. If she can implement the lessons from her long and difficult political career, One Nation may very well become a credible alternative government-in-waiting.
The truth is that Australian conservatism is at a crossroads. The polls don’t lie.
But the road to government is also long. And while that may be so, Menzies was in the political wilderness from 1941-49. He replaced a Labor government that has been in power since for 8 years. Menzies then went on to be Prime Minister for another 17 years.
The party of Sir Robert exists in name only. Meanwhile, the left is on a long slow decline and it’s only a matter of time before conservatives rise again. Given the performance of the Liberal Party to date, it’s hard to see how anyone other than Pauline Hanson can revive conservatism in Australia.
Dr Michael de Percy @FlaneurPolitiq is the Spectator Australia’s Canberra Press Gallery Correspondent. If you would like to support his writing, or read more of Michael, please visit his website.
