20-06-2026: In the space of less than 12 months, polls are now showing that One Nation has surpassed both the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA), with One Nation on 30% compared to the governing ALP at 28%.[1] Incredibly, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has also surpassed the ALP as preferred Prime Minister (PM) with 33% support compared to ALP PM Anthony Albanese on 29%.[2] The conservative One Nation is expanding, and reportedly now has around 60 000 members, more than both the ALP and the LPA. One Nation made an electoral breakthrough in the regional electorate of Farrer, winning a seat in the lower house of the federal parliament for the first time. One Nation’s David Farley won the by-election for One Nation, which had previously been held by the Liberal Party/National Party Coalition for the past 77 years.[3] After the steady decline of the Liberal Party since the last federal election, One Nation is now also circling the Labor Party.
Housing affordability crisis
The implied racism and anti-migrant positions of One Nation are a huge concern, and do need to be countered, if the working class is going to be able to defend its interests. Yet the question is more complex than it was 30 years ago, when One Nation first emerged on the political scene. At that time, its discrimination against Asians and other migrants, and even Aboriginal people, was clear and was one of the only bases for its party at that time. At that time, protests against the organisation of One Nation as a party were necessary to combat the scapegoating of innocent people for the shortcomings of neoliberal capitalism. Today, however, it is a different story. It is true that some of Pauline Hanson’s statements can be seen as openly racist, for example, her statement that “there are no good Muslims”.[4] Yet it is also the case that general pessimism about the state of the world is largely contributing to the rising popular support for One Nation. This reflects frustration with the last election, a meagre or austerity budget, and deep resistance to the direction of modernisation of Australia.[5]
On the other hand, this is combined with irrational concerns about high levels of immigration “causing” the housing crisis and inflation. In reality, there is a housing and rental affordability crisis, it is not a crisis of the lack of availability of housing. It is easier, but a lazy option, to simply claim that more migrants equals more people seeking a fewer number of homes. The out-of-control house prices and vast weekly rents that are being charged is largely a result of housing being seen as a commodity and an investment, rather than a public necessity. There are statistics which show that around 1 in 10 homes in Australia are vacant at any one time, due to “land banking”, short stay accommodation and the probate process.[6] While some vacancies are temporarily unavoidable, many others are deliberately kept vacant for financial gain.
Right Wing Populism
Yet the dramatic surge in popularity for One Nation is not only a drive to the right fuelled by racism. One Nation has adopted some populist demands, which ironically are in the interests of working people. For example, One Nation advocates the slashing of electricity bills by 20%, halving the fuel excise to 26 cents a litre for 3 years with the option to extend it further, and increasing the Medicare rebate to promote medical clinic bulk billing.[7] In the sphere of democratic rights, One Nation calls for citizen initiated referenda,[8] and stands for free speech to be enshrined in the Constitution.[9] One Nation also partially opposed the Covid operation, maintaining a policy of opposition to Covid vaccine mandates and a demand for a Royal Commission into the management of Covid by Australian state and federal governments.[10] Even though it is limited, this opposition has drawn in support for One Nation from hundreds of thousands who joined the vast political movement opposing the abolition of basic democratic rights, the right to protest, the right to travel and more – from 2020 to 2023.
One Nation’s stock in trade is opposition to immigration, which is often put in such a way it could well be construed as racist. At the least, they call for the deportation of 75 000 “illegal” migrants, cuts to immigration of 570 000 people from current levels, the introduction of an eight year waiting period for citizenship and the right to access welfare, and a withdrawal from the United Nations (UN) Refugee Convention.[11] While some of these measures are over the top, it is unhelpful to dismiss large number of workers with the label “racist” for questioning the basis for the high levels of immigration. One reason for it is that the ruling class is aware that domestic birth rates are falling and have been for years, due to the economic crisis which was arguably one reason for “Covid” itself. Another reason is that high levels of immigration tend to offset very low GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth. In short, capitalist governments use immigration to plug up economic holes caused by late state capitalism.
While One Nation’s anti-migrant rhetoric gains headlines, less well known are their consistent opposition to workers’ basic rights and conditions. One Nation Senators in parliament have voted against minimum wage increases, against increased bargaining power for better wages, against employers terminating EBAs (Enterprise Bargaining Agreement) during bargaining periods, and against a stronger pathway for conversion of casuals to permanent work. They have also voted against “same job, same pay” provisions, against making industrial manslaughter a criminal offense, against right of entry laws for Union officials to curb wage theft and Pauline Hanson has stated that “you can’t even sack anyone”.[12] These elements represent a clear anti-worker, anti-Union and pro-employer stance across the board. If One Nation should be opposed on anything, it should be over their rigid opposition to workers’ rights and basic conditions.
How to “Fight the Right” ?
However, the ostensible left has sought to “Unite to Fight the Right” by moving to counter protest, or even to attempt to shut down, One Nation meetings or events where Pauline Hanson is a speaker. The Socialist Alliance promoted the 12th of June counter protest of a One Nation fundraiser in Moonee Ponds in Melbourne – under the slogan of “No Room for Racism”.[13] Socialist Alternative leads the charge in demanding direct confrontations with One Nation, stating that One Nation “needs to be fought, not just analysed”.[14] Certainly One Nation needs to be fought, but this must be done politically, not violently or physically. Despite the potential direction of One Nation’s politics, currently they are not “Nazis” or “fascists”. One could argue their politics are racist, but One Nation members and the vast numbers of workers supporting them do not believe this is the case. So shouting this at them through megaphones, much less attempting to physically shut down their meetings, is counterproductive. In fact, doing so will drive workers further towards these views – or positions that are even more right wing.
The Socialist Alternative led Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) has now called a counterdemonstration in Brisbane on July 12.[15] The problem with this is that this is a rally at which Pauline Hanson is a speaker only, it is not a One Nation event. The self-described left is claiming that Pauline Hanson is “against trans rights” and therefore needs to be countered. In fact, the rally has been organised to call for amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act to recognise biological women, so that women’s spaces and groups can be organised. This is a larger issue, but even if one agrees that the organisation of women’s only spaces limit or restrict the participation of transgender women, the promotion of this argument will not be assisted by attempting to physically shutdown an event which argues the opposite. Countering an action which the participants believe to be about women’s rights (which may be debated) is damaging to the cause of the left, as the “left” are the ones seemingly acting as intolerant.
There is no question that the left needs to counter the rise of One Nation. Yet it is counterproductive to attempt to shut down internal meetings and events of this party, as this is anti-democratic. Would the so-called left approve of One Nation supporters – and there are millions of them now – physically shutting down their internal meetings? Moreover, the left needs to recognise that many workers are turning to One Nation out of justified horror of the breakdown of the economy, the total lack of any solutions from the major parties, and the sense that society (and the world) is headed in the wrong direction. One Nation is funnelling such people not just with racism against migrants and/or Muslims, but with some progressive demands. Yes, it is true that far right parties have historically appealed to workers’ interests to gain support. However, it is clear that, so far, One Nation only has the aim of getting more people elected to state and federal parliaments. The ruling class is aware, therefore, that there is no danger to the capitalist system if One Nation does end up displacing one or both of the major parties.
If the left is to draw workers away from One Nation, it needs to put forward a positive alternative. It needs to argue for a consistent pro-working class cause, domestically and internationally. If the left does not offer opposition on issues such as Covid, or woke identity politics, or imperialist war, it will be seen as an adjunct to the major parties. If it does not offer valid alternatives on the dire housing affordability crisis, the skyrocketing cost of living and stagnant or declining real wages, working people will drift towards a form of right populism. This alternative has to be in clear opposition to the ALP and the Greens, as many see the “left” as barely different to these outfits. Yes, racism must be countered, but where this does not cross a line, it and all other vital political issues need to be debated and argued in the public arena.
Workers League
www.redfireonline.com
E: workersleague@protonmail.com
[1] www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-31/pauline-hanson-preferred-prime-minister-gen-x-redbridge-poll/106742802 (17-06-2026)
[2] www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2026/06/15/hanson-poll-preferred-prime-minister (17-06-2026)
[3] www.sbs.com.au/news/article/one-nation-wins-farrer-by-election/5ukevc345 (17-06-2026)
[4] www.news.com.au/national/politics/pauline-hanson-doubles-down-on-no-good-muslims-comments/news-story/19ba085a25673ddae79f592158ce4ef9 (17-06-2026)
[5] www.thetimes.com.au/world/44766-why-has-support-for-one-nation-surged-since-the-2025-federal-election (17-06-2026)
[6] www.sbs.com.au/news/article/as-many-as-every-tenth-australian-home-may-be-empty-could-they-ease-the-housing-crisis/ah3o047c5 (17-06-2026)
[7] www.onenation.org.au/reduce-cost-of-living (17-06-2026)
[8] www.onenation.org.au/citizen-initiated-referenda (17-06-2026)
[9] www.onenation.org.au/free-speech-policy (17-06-2026)
[10] www.onenation.org.au/covid (17-06-2026)
[11] www.onenation.org.au/immigration (17-06-2026)
[12] www.meu.org.au/campaign/one-nation-anti-worker-record/ (17-06-2026)
[13] www.greenleft.org.au/2026-06/event/protest-drive-hanson-out-no-room-racism (17-06-2026)
[14] www.redflag.org.au/article/one-nation-needs-to-be-fought-not-just-analysed/ (17-06-2026)
[15] www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1431129755728066&set=pcb.1431129785728063 (17-06-2026)
Image: Get Up!, a group with suspected links to the Labor Party, claimed responsibility for the banner drop stunt which targeted One Nation leader Pauline Hanson at the National Press Club. The banner made the rather correct point that Hanson opposes wage rises for workers, while accepting politician pay rises for herself and her party. http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au
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