Nationals MPs defiant in face of One Nation threat
Some National MPs fear their seats could be at risk from a rising One Nation following the populist party’s landslide victory in the Farrer byelection.
Pauline Hanson’s newest MP won’t take her seat in parliament for several weeks as the Australian Electoral Commission completes counting in the southern NSW seat, but the consequences of David Farley’s victory are already being felt across the coalition.
Nationals MP Michael McCormack, whose Riverina neighbors are Farrer’s constituencies, acknowledged One Nation could pose a threat to him at the next election.
“It would be foolish to say I ignored what happened over the weekend,” he told AAP.
“That’s not me anyway, I’ve always treated the seat as if it were a marginal seat.”
Noting that he has been a long-time local member, the former deputy prime minister said his days usually start at 5.30 in the morning and continue until the night.
“If you’re going to win these elections and continue to win, you’ve got to be prepared to tear yourself down. You’ve got to show up. And I have to say, not everyone is willing to do that,” Mr. McCormack said.
It was a harsh blow to former opposition leader Sussan Ley, who held the seat for 25 years until she retired from politics after being sacked by colleagues in February.
“There are a lot of people who claim they haven’t seen their local members in a while,” he said.
“I know Sussan is very busy being leader of the Liberal party. I know being leader of the party takes up a lot of your time.”
Fellow National Colin Boyce, who initially refused to rule out joining One Nation, said on Monday he would remain loyal to the regional party.
The Queensland MP, whose electorate includes Gladstone and some towns around Rockhampton, said he was “obviously” concerned about the rise of One Nation and warned the party would face less resistance in his district than it did under Farrer.
“I am absolutely certain that it is alive and real,” Mr. Boyce said.
One Nation is also talking about its chances in outer suburban seats such as Lindsay and McMahon in Sydney’s west, but some analysts suggest a larger number of multicultural voters will make it harder for the anti-immigration party to advance there.
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce rejected these claims, saying the cost of living and housing shortages affect all Australians.
“Just because you have more olive skin doesn’t mean you live in a different country,” he told Sky News on Monday.
“There is a huge opportunity.”
The rise of One Nation (if replicated at a national level) is likely to draw parallels with the rise in support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which saw more than 1,400 candidates elected in the last council elections in England.
Senator Hanson’s chief of staff, James Ashby, revealed Mr Farage had reached out to congratulate One Nation on its by-election victory.
“Nigel reached out to Pauline after the weekend to congratulate her, which was very kind of him,” he told Sky News.
“Obviously there are some similarities.”
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