A fierce political row has erupted after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelled the surging support for One Nation as a 'worry', prompting the party's leader, Pauline Hanson, to retaliate by branding him the 'worst Prime Minister this country has ever had'.
Poll Shock Sparks Political Firestorm
The clash was ignited by a recent Newspoll, released on Monday, which showed a dramatic shift in the political landscape. The poll revealed that One Nation's primary vote has soared to 22 per cent, a massive increase from the 8 per cent it recorded just before the election on 3 May. Meanwhile, Labor led with 32 per cent, and the Coalition trailed at 21 per cent. This marks the first time in Australian history that a minor party has outpolled one of the traditional major parties in a national survey.
Speaking to KIIS FM, Prime Minister Albanese expressed his concern, stating that One Nation appealed to 'grievance' and was a 'pretty divisive lot'. He affirmed his belief in mainstream politics, arguing that the traditional parties of government had served the country well.
Hanson's Scathing Retort and Vow
Senator Hanson, in a fiery interview with Sky News, dismissed the Prime Minister's comments with contempt. 'That's a pot calling the kettle black. What a hypocrite he is,' she declared. She launched a personal attack on Albanese, stating she had 'no time for him' and vowing to see him removed from office.
'I want to see you gone from being Prime Minister of this country at the next election and I'm going to work my butt off to make it happen,' Hanson asserted, directly challenging the PM. She accused him of hypocrisy, citing his failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023 and what she described as a lack of action on antisemitism since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.
Security, Hate Speech, and a Broader Agenda
Hanson connected the poll surge to public anxiety over national security and social cohesion. She criticised Albanese's national address following the Bondi terror attack as 'weak', 'pathetic', and 'all rhetoric'. 'People are in fear... the real issue is radical Islam,' she argued, claiming politicians were ignoring warnings and failing to protect the 'Australian way of life'.
The One Nation leader also turned her fire on the proposed hate-speech laws, set to be introduced to Parliament on Tuesday. She expressed deep distrust in Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke having the power to ban designated hate groups, referencing his past decisions on immigration. Furthermore, she savaged Opposition Leader Sussan Ley for negotiating with Labor on the bill, calling her 'pathetic' and a 'loser'.
Hanson concluded by suggesting the public was waking up to what she called 'self-interest and globalist' agendas among the political elite, which she claimed was driving voters towards her party's message.
