‘Disunity is death’: coalition slumps amid Hanson surge
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has taken its popularity to new heights, sweeping voters away from the opposition after weeks of infighting and leadership speculation.
The poll is expected to increase pressure on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who faces a possible challenge to her job next week.
The RedBridge poll shows the primary vote for the Liberals and Nationals, whose coalition imploded in mid-January, fell seven points to 19 per cent.
One Nation, the anti-immigration party led by Senator Hanson, now stands at 26 percent after a nine-point increase in support.
The Liberals’ leading candidate, Dan Tehan, blamed divisions within the old coalition for the poor poll results.
“Everyone in politics knows that division is death, and the Australian people will never, ever say they think you’re ready to lead this country if you’re divided,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
Liberal senator Jane Hume said Australians turned to One Nation because they felt “victimized”.
“When Australians are aggrieved they turn to a grievance party like One Nation and that’s simply not good enough and it’s certainly not sustainable,” he told Sky News.
“Unless the Coalition, and particularly the Liberal Party, can change its message and deliver what Australians are looking for, which is a real alternative, then we deserve what we get,” Senator Hume said.
The former minister added that he supported Ms Ley remaining as leader and called on colleagues to unite behind her so the party can deliver serious policies.
Speculation is rife that Angus Taylor, a Conservative frontbencher from NSW, could soon challenge Ms Ley for the leadership.
His rival, right-wing MP Andrew Hastie, ruled himself out of the race for the top job on Friday following a meeting between the two men and senior power brokers the day before.
Mr Taylor is unlikely to challenge Ms Ley this week, but a leadership reveal could be expected at next week’s party room meeting.
It is predicted that One Nation will be added to its ranks as its support base grows.
Sydney radio station 2GB has reported that former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, who founded the short-lived “Australian Conservatives” party, could be the next member of One Nation.
Labor Minister Tanya Plibersek said One Nation’s rise was “truly disappointing” and described the Liberals and National Party as a “dumpster fire”.
“They don’t know who their leader will be in a week’s time,” he told Seven’s Sunrise programme.
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