Pauline Hanson, the leader of the One Nation party, remains excluded from the Australian Senate as parliament reconvenes, despite her party achieving a record surge in the latest opinion polling. The political drama unfolds against a backdrop of national mourning and contentious legislative debate.
Senate Suspension and Polling Surge Collide
Parliament resumed on Monday, 5th February, with tributes paid to the 15 victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack on 14th December. The government's initial legislative agenda included an omnibus bill targeting hate speech and gun laws, but this has now been split into two separate pieces of legislation following significant opposition.
Hanson is currently serving a seven-sitting-day suspension imposed after the Senate censured her for a breach of standing orders. The breach occurred last November when she wore a burqa into the parliamentary chamber. Her enforced absence will last until the end of the next sitting week in February.
This suspension coincides with a dramatic shift in the political landscape revealed by a shock Newspoll. One Nation's primary vote has jumped seven points to a record 22%, pushing it into second place and overtaking the Liberal-National Coalition for the first time in the party's history.
Political Landscape Reshaped by Poll and Tragedy
The latest polling data shows a significant realignment of voter intention. The Coalition's primary vote has fallen three points to 21%, placing it third behind Labor and One Nation. Although Labor's primary vote also dropped four points to 32%, it maintains a commanding two-party-preferred lead of 55% to the Coalition's 45%.
This political upheaval follows closely on the heels of the December terror attack, which has profoundly reshaped the national conversation on security and social cohesion. From outside Parliament, Hanson has launched a fierce critique of the Albanese government's handling of the new legislation.
She accused the government of attempting to rush the bills through without adequate scrutiny. "Labor, the Coalition and the Greens plan to ram through two separate bills in one afternoon even if One Nation and the public have more questions," Hanson stated in a social media post on Monday. "This is known as a 'guillotine' motion because it cuts off the debate."
Hanson's Exclusion and Legislative Opposition
Hanson revealed that a letter she sent to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the Bondi attack, requesting her Senate ban be lifted, went unanswered. "The Prime Minister never even responded to the letter... That means I won't be able to have my say on the bills on the floor of parliament as the leader of One Nation," she said.
She pointedly linked her party's polling success to what she described as a leadership vacuum. "Australians have seen a complete lack of leadership from both Labor and the Coalition during this debacle," Hanson argued. "As more Australians give their support to One Nation, we will continue to set the agenda, hold politicians to account and lead Australia to a better future."
One Nation has confirmed it will oppose both the hate speech reforms and the strengthened gun laws when they are introduced. The government aims to pass the hate speech bill through the Senate as early as Tuesday evening, a move that will proceed without Hanson's direct participation due to her ongoing suspension.
