Australia's political landscape is undergoing one of its most significant shifts in decades, with Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party recording unprecedented polling support. While the movement has tapped into widespread voter dissatisfaction, questions remain over whether its policy platform can translate electoral momentum into government.
INR Report: Based on reporting by Graham Hryce for RT HERE.
Australia's political establishment is facing one of its most significant challenges in decades after new polling suggested the right-wing populist One Nation Party has surged to become the country's most popular political party.
According to polling cited in the original RT report, One Nation has experienced a dramatic increase in support in recent months, overtaking both the governing Labor Party and the conservative Liberal-National Coalition. The rise has transformed a party once regarded as a political fringe movement into a significant force capable of reshaping Australian politics.
Founded in the late 1990s by Pauline Hanson, One Nation has traditionally occupied the margins of Australian politics. Despite periodically attracting media attention, it has never previously threatened the dominance of Australia's two major political blocs.
That picture now appears to be changing.
Polls point to dramatic shift
The article notes that Australia's respected Newspoll survey recently placed One Nation on 31% support, narrowly ahead of Labor on 30%, while the Liberal-National Coalition had fallen sharply to just 18%.
The figures represent an extraordinary increase compared with the 2025 federal election, when One Nation secured only 6.4% of the primary vote and won just two seats in the House of Representatives alongside four Senate seats.
The report argues Australia's political trajectory increasingly resembles developments seen in Britain, where Nigel Farage's Reform Party has disrupted the traditional political landscape.
Growing dissatisfaction with mainstream parties appears to be a major factor behind the shift.
Voters seek political alternatives
According to polling referenced in the report, almost seven in ten Australians believe the major political parties are no longer capable of solving the country's problems.
The article argues many voters blame both Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition for failing to address Australia's prolonged cost-of-living pressures despite alternating periods in government.
It also suggests a growing number of Australians have become dissatisfied with policies relating to net zero emissions, immigration, multiculturalism, gender issues and foreign policy.
The report contends that One Nation's promise to reverse or abandon many of these policies has helped attract voters seeking significant political change.
Coalition struggles deepen
The article also attributes One Nation's rise to divisions within Australia's conservative Coalition.
It argues internal disagreements over climate policy, immigration and broader cultural issues have weakened the Liberal and National parties, leaving them vulnerable to losing conservative voters to One Nation while simultaneously losing more progressive supporters to independent "Teal" candidates.
The report further notes that major political donors have increasingly redirected financial support toward One Nation as confidence in the Coalition has weakened.
Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart is identified as one of the party's most significant financial backers, with the report claiming she recently purchased a private aircraft for Pauline Hanson to assist with campaigning.
With substantially greater financial resources than in previous elections, the article argues One Nation is now capable of mounting a genuinely national campaign.
Hanson outlines ambitious agenda
In a recent address to Australia's National Press Club, Pauline Hanson presented what the report describes as One Nation's most comprehensive political programme to date.
Among the policies highlighted were:
- Ending multiculturalism and promoting what Hanson described as a "monocultural" Australia.
- Abolishing the Australian Human Rights Commission.
- Ending government funding for SBS.
- Scrapping net zero policies and renewable energy subsidies.
- Ending mass immigration.
- Expanding nuclear energy while increasing coal and gas production.
- Introducing tighter abortion laws.
- Opposing wage increases and reducing workplace protections.
- Removing transgender rights protections.
The article argues that while some proposals may appeal to disillusioned voters, others face significant political and practical obstacles.
Can One Nation actually govern?
The report argues that while several elements of One Nation's platform may resonate with dissatisfied voters, much of the programme amounts to what the author describes as "magical thinking" that would prove extremely difficult for any Australian government to implement.
It questions, for example, how Australia — a nation built through successive waves of immigration — could realistically be transformed into what Pauline Hanson described as a "monocultural" society.
The article also argues that proposals to tighten abortion laws risk alienating female voters, while policies opposing wage increases and reducing workers' rights could undermine support among working-class Australians — a demographic regarded as essential if One Nation hopes to expand beyond its existing base.
According to the report, these policy tensions may already be affecting public support.
Poll momentum eases
The article notes that subsequent polling has shown One Nation's support easing slightly from 31% to 29%, while Labor recovered modestly to 33%.
Although still representing a remarkable improvement on previous elections, the report argues that current polling would likely leave One Nation well short of an outright parliamentary majority.
Instead, the party could potentially emerge as a significant coalition partner should Australia's conservative parties continue to lose support.
With the next federal election not scheduled until September 2028, the report suggests there remains considerable time for Australia's political landscape to change further.
Questions over leadership
The article also raises concerns about One Nation's internal stability.
It argues that Pauline Hanson has historically exercised highly centralised control over the party, which has frequently experienced internal disputes and parliamentary defections throughout its history.
The report further notes that One Nation has periodically attracted controversial figures, including politicians associated with calls to revive Australia's former "White Australia" immigration policy.
According to the author, managing internal discipline could become increasingly difficult should the party continue expanding.
A disruptive force
Rather than predicting outright electoral victory, the article concludes that One Nation is more likely to become a powerful disruptive influence within Australian politics.
The report argues the Liberal-National Coalition faces continuing internal divisions, Labor will likely remain under electoral pressure, and One Nation will continue presenting itself as an alternative for voters dissatisfied with both major parties.
However, the author contends that transforming protest support into the practical ability to govern remains a much greater challenge.
The article concludes that Australian politics is therefore likely to become increasingly fragmented and unstable in the years ahead, regardless of whether One Nation ultimately forms part of a future government.
Does This Affect New Zealand?
New Zealand enters its own election campaign amid many of the same debates now reshaping Australian politics. Issues including immigration levels, national sovereignty, the cost of living, energy security and the role of international institutions are increasingly becoming defining election themes on both sides of the Tasman.
Among New Zealand's established political leaders, Winston Peters has consistently advocated for stronger border controls, greater national sovereignty, a reassessment of New Zealand's relationship with international organisations where national interests may be affected, and greater domestic ownership of strategic assets. More recently, Peters has also floated the idea of New Zealand regaining ownership of the former Bank of New Zealand, arguing that stronger national control over critical institutions deserves renewed public debate.
While the political systems and parties differ, the rise of Australia's One Nation reflects a broader trend seen across many Western democracies: voters increasingly questioning established political parties and seeking alternatives that emphasise national interest, economic security and sovereignty. Whether that sentiment translates into greater electoral support for parties advocating similar themes in New Zealand will become one of the key questions of the coming election campaign.
Source
Original Article: RT
Author: Graham Hryce
Source
Original Article: RT
Author: Graham Hryce