Anthony Albanese’s scathing rebuke of One Nation’s historic WA by-election win paints Labor as taking the high road… the hypocrisy is breathtaking, writes PETER VAN ONSELEN
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has strongly criticised One Nation after the party won a historic by-election victory over Labor in a seat in Perth's south, accusing it of misinformation, factual distortion and dividing Australians for political gain. Columnist Peter van Onselen argues this rebuke is deeply hypocritical, contending that Labor under Albanese has itself repeatedly broken clear election promises and used misleading tactics once in office, undermining the moral high ground the Prime Minister is claiming.
The article cites several examples: Albanese's unequivocal pre-election pledges not to change negative gearing or the capital gains tax discount, both of which were subsequently altered, with Albanese himself linking the shift to One Nation's rising popularity. It also points to the broken "absolutely locked in" promise on Stage Three tax cuts before the 2022 election, a deceptively edited Labor campaign video in 2025 that reversed the meaning of Peter Dutton's comments on Medicare, false claims about a $350 billion budget cut, and an unsubstantiated 2022 claim linking the Coalition to forcing pensioners onto the cashless debit card. The by-election was won by One Nation's Luke Herdegen.
- Albanese accused One Nation of misinformation after its WA by-election win.
- Columnist says Labor has used similar tactics, calling the rebuke hypocritical.
- Cites broken tax promises and a misleading Medicare campaign video as examples.
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Labor and One Nation have been rivals for a Western Australian state seat covering areas south of Perth, previously held safely by Labor. One Nation, a minor party known for its nationalist and anti-immigration positions, won the by-election outright for the first time, a result being described as historic. Anthony Albanese, Australia's Labor Prime Minister, responded by publicly condemning One Nation's campaign conduct, accusing the party of spreading misinformation and stoking division.
Commentator Peter van Onselen has challenged Albanese's criticism, arguing that Labor's own record in government includes several reversed or broken election commitments and disputed campaign claims, from tax policy pledges to edited campaign material. The piece places the by-election result and the Prime Minister's response within this wider debate about honesty in Australian political campaigning.
This matters because by-elections are often read as early signals of shifting voter sentiment ahead of future elections, and a strong result for a minor party in a traditionally safe seat can prompt broader questions about voter trust in the major parties.