Opposition Leader plans assault on One Nation’s credibility to avoid South Australia-style wipeout
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor will lead an attack on One Nation’s credibility and warn of Pauline Hanson’s bid to form a government with a new plan to avoid a South Australia-style thrashing at May’s federal byelection.
As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned against attacks on multiculturalism on Sunday, the Coalition plans to unveil big-picture economic reform, focusing more on its anti-net-zero stance and explaining to voters the economic pain Hanson’s zero immigration policy will cause.
“There will be no ‘deplorable’ moment,” said a senior Liberal source, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss internal party matters, referring to Hillary Clinton’s infamous remarks about Donald Trump’s supporters.
A Liberal MP added: “Just as Labor brutally attacked the Greens to keep progressives in the tent, we must do the same on our side.”
South Australian Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas was overwhelmingly re-elected on Saturday. The Liberal Party will be left with about four seats in the lower house, and its vote will be swayed by One Nation, whose 22 per cent primary vote is higher than the Liberals’ 19 per cent.
Albanese issued a veiled warning against the One Nation brand of politics in a speech in Melbourne on Sunday.
“There are some, including some in political life, who want to turn back the clock to an Australia that is no longer us,” he said at the Immigration Museum in the CBD, warning about politicians harkening back to the White Australia era.
“We need to call out to these people.”
Members of the Federal Coalition’s senior shadow cabinet held talks on Friday to formulate a strategy to win back support for One Nation. A day later, the populist group shook up the political establishment by overtaking the Liberal Party in South Australia. There is also a nationwide vote before the Coalition.
After months of confusion over how strongly to attack Hanson and his member Barnaby Joyce, the Coalition group agreed that it should attack Hanson and reject calls from conservative commentators to form some kind of right-wing coalition with his party.
Five sources familiar with the opposition strategy meeting who could not speak publicly about the secretive meeting confirmed some elements of the discussion. Liberal and National directors Andrew Hirst and Lincoln Folo held briefings on voters’ attitudes towards One Nation as parties prepared to use social media to mobilize against One Nation ahead of the Farrer by-election sparked by Sussan Ley’s retirement.
While Saturday’s South Australian election was influenced by local factors, the surge in support for One Nation proved Hanson could turn poll support into votes; but the preference distribution may mean that the party will only have one seat.
Ahead of the Farrer by-election in NSW, Taylor plans to unveil his own plan to reduce Coalition immigration. But the opposition wants to highlight the folly of reducing net migration to zero, as Hanson suggests, by warning tradesmen about how badly the construction industry will be hit.
Opposition MPs plan to target what they see as the arrogance of Hanson as he aims to replace the Coalition.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan faced backlash from parts of his right-wing base earlier this month after describing Hanson’s race policy as divisive. The opposition is wary of being criticized for attacking Hanson personally, given Hanson’s tendency to portray himself as a persecuted figure speaking on behalf of the voiceless.
Hanson claimed he was aiming to win an election in which Coalition MPs wanted to stand out in public discourse.
“Even his supporters think the chances of him leading the country are ridiculous,” said one Liberal MP familiar with party canvassing.
Echoing the words of frontrunner James Paterson, the opposition will also point out that 70 per cent of MPs elected under the One Nation banner have left the party and Hanson has achieved few policy victories.
MPs attending the Friday meeting agreed it was critical to distinguish the Coalition from One Nation by presenting voters with a compelling economic vision on taxes and material living standards; because the Coalition aims to publish important policies in the medium term, not just before the election as in the previous period.
Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston blamed the collapse of the state election on the Coalition failing to express its values.
“Australians don’t know what we stand for,” he said on Sky News Sunday Agenda. “History shows you that’s probably not the case. You know, we’ve seen the rise and fall of One Nation many times across the country.”
In his acceptance speech on Saturday, Malinauskas outlined his vision of progressive patriotism, demonstrating the importance of the national debate over identity and culture that fueled the rise of One Nation.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up for our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
Paul Sakkal is the Chief Political Correspondent. He has previously covered Victorian politics and won the Walkley award as well as the 2025 Press Gallery Journalist of the Year award. Contact him securely on Signal @paulsakkal.14.Connect with: X or email.
