They were once the most unthinkable Pauline Hanson voters of all. Now, young people and migrants explain to PETER VAN ONSELEN why they have shifted their vote – to One Nation
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson drew a notably young and ethnically diverse crowd at a campaign event in Pakenham, Victoria, in a sign that the party's support base is broadening ahead of the state election due in November. The visit came a day after One Nation's win in the Secret Harbour state by-election in Western Australia, where candidate Luke Herdegen ousted Labor from a seat it had held since 1989, giving the party its first lower house foothold in that state and a boost of confidence heading into the Victorian campaign.
Attendees included young couples, tradespeople, small business owners and people in their twenties, alongside long-standing supporters such as 68-year-old retired truck driver Gary, who has backed Hanson since the early 2000s. Also present was 23-year-old retail worker Mia, attending her first political event, reflecting a wider trend of younger voters helping lift One Nation's national polling from single figures to roughly level with Labor, according to a Newspoll released the day after the event.
- One Nation drew a young, diverse crowd in Victoria
- Follows party's Secret Harbour by-election win in WA
- Polling shows One Nation nearing parity with Labor nationally
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One Nation is an Australian political party led by Pauline Hanson, who founded it in the 1990s. It has often drawn support from voters concerned about immigration, the cost of living and the influence of major parties, and has had a smaller presence in parliament than Labor and the Liberal–National Coalition.
The Secret Harbour by-election was a contest to fill a seat in Western Australia’s state parliament. One Nation’s win there gave the party its first lower house seat in that state; it is now campaigning ahead of Victoria’s state election, due in November.
A party’s support can vary between elections, and national polling estimates how people might vote if an election were held at that time. The reported mix of younger people, migrants and long-standing supporters at the event points to interest from a wider range of voters, while leaving open whether that will translate into lasting support.