Populism isn’t dead in Australia, it’s waiting for the right leader

The danger of right-wing populism has not disappeared since Labour’s victory; became increasingly evident. Carl Rhodes reports.

As RIGHT WING POPULISM spread across the world, many praised Labour’s decisive victory in May as evidence that Australia was bucking the trend. New analysis suggests the country may not be as immune as once thought.

Australian Election ResearchFound the former opposition leader released last month Peter Dutton He was the least popular major party leader since the poll began in 1987. Participants branded him uninspiring, unreliable, dishonest and poor as a leader.

This result suggests that Dutton’s loss is not evidence that Australians have rejected right-wing extremism. Maybe because he’s not very good at populism. Even more troubling, the evidence suggests that the threat remains very real in Australia.

Temu Trump’s failure

During the election, Dutton’s defeat was widely referred to as “Trump effect” He was said to have a negative relationship with the leader of the United States. Dutton was even mocked. Temu Trumpa cut-price impersonation of a president who had been sworn into office only months earlier.

The policy positions of the two men were strikingly similar and bordered on political plagiarism. Macho conservatism manifested itself in harsh immigration measures, blinkered and racist nationalism, and draconian cuts to public works and spending.

Dutton may have imitated Trump, but he lacked the narcissistic certainty that protects the US President from self-doubt. What emerged instead was a politician. rolled over While he may not fully understand the populist talking points written for him, he is at a time when his public support is showing signs of waning. He could not muster the confidence, charisma and emotional appeal that successful populist leaders use to mobilize discontent.

Think of successful populists around the world like Donald Trump himself, but also Nigel Farage in the United Kingdom. Both have an uncanny ability to mask their social and economic privilege while convincingly arguing that their interests align with those of ordinary citizens struggling under the weight of an economy that sacrifices shared prosperity in the bonfire of global neoliberalism.

Dutton, by contrast, was nothing more than an unreliable impersonator who lacked the acumen to lead the country. Looking back, it seems like his populist policy platform wasn’t the problem; Australians couldn’t warm up to him.

Mainstreaming Australian populism

Since Labour’s victory, the threat of right-wing populism has not gone away, it has become increasingly apparent. Thousands of people attended nationwide marches for Australia in August and October. At a Melbourne rally in August blaming immigration for nationalism, anti-wokeness and livelihood difficulties, Thomas SewellLeader of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network.

Flags flew and crowds cheered as Sewell warned of the cultural death of “proud, true and thoroughbred” Australians. “We let these vigilantes rule us and tell us what to think.”

The rallies were not limited to extremists. between protesters were mainstream politicians, including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and MP Bob Katter. Hanson, long a stalwart of Australian populism, is experiencing a resurgence. Voting Last month, his party’s primary support reached 14 percent, the highest since 1998. vote Today’s election could see One Nation become Australia’s third largest political party, with around 12 seats.

Liberal MP elsewhere in mainstream politics Andrew Hastie to have appeared as a leader who will take over the leadership of his party. This guy is in September defended He noted that immigration not only makes Australians feel like “strangers in our own home” but also impoverishes people by fueling high house prices.

Calls for Australia to form a new political party have also increased movement Similar to Nigel Farage’s populist Reform Party in the UK, it is full of policies to abandon carbon taxes, cut the minimum wage, reduce immigration, cut government spending and services, and increase economic isolation. Meanwhile, Australia’s richest woman, Gina RinehartHe advocates for Australia to adopt Donald Trump-style policies “Make Australia great”.

The evidence is beyond doubt: in 2025, right-wing populism has not only survived, but also entered the mainstream.

Australia’s populist test lies ahead

Now that the dust has settled on May’s federal election, it is clear that Peter Dutton’s loss is not a defeat for populism. The danger was not eliminated by a failed election campaign. It remains with the possibility that a more coercive, disciplined populist will step forward to capitalize on the currents of anger and distrust currently fueled.

Real economic discontent is the fuel under the populist fire. Housing affordability has collapsed and young Australians are locked out of home ownership as rents soar. There are fees stagnant Inflation is eroding household budgets, leaving more and more people without welfare. Meanwhile count Australian billionaires continues to grow.

Populist leaders will continue to pursue power by falsely blaming immigration, climate policies, and globalization as the cause of economic pain unless sound political solutions are introduced to these fundamental economic problems. Mass rallies, growing support for One Nation, and mainstream politicians parroting populist rhetoric all point to a strengthening of the movement.

The lesson is very sharp. Populism did not die with Dutton; just waiting for the right messenger who can combine grievance with charisma and channel discontent into power and division. Once that figure is reached, Australia will face its real populist test.

Carl Rhodes is Professor of Business and Society at the University of Technology Sydney. Wrote several books On the relationship between liberal democracy and contemporary capitalism. You can follow him on X/Twitter @ProfCarlRhodes.

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