One Nation has surged off the back of scapegoating immigration for the cost of living crisis.
This has been aided by Labor and the Liberals both linking immigration to the rising cost of housing.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rightly accused Liberal leader Angus Taylor of trying to “Out One Nation One Nation”. But Labor is singing from the same song sheet.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke boasted last month on Sky News that “what we’ve been doing in migration is effectively bringing the numbers down”, pointing to cuts to international student and working holiday visas. He promised “to make sure migration is tailored” to housing supply.
This has legitimised Pauline Hanson, allowing her to say she’s been “consistent” in that, “For decades I’ve warned about the impacts of out-of-control mass immigration.”
Her speech at the National Press Club laid out her full horrifying far right agenda and how she has embraced Donald Trump’s politics. It showed the danger a bigger and more organised One Nation poses.
Predictably, she attacked multiculturalism and called for a “monoculture”, claiming there were already too many migrants here who don’t share our “identity and culture”. This was obvious code for saying there are too many non-European migrants.
This has given the far-right March for Australia group, which includes open fascists, the licence to call nationwide rallies on 30 August demanding “remigration”—in other words mass deportations.
Hanson also stirred up Islamophobia, claiming that the Muslim community harboured a major threat to the community.
She also blamed rising “energy costs” caused by renewable energy for the cost-of-living crisis—banging the drum for climate denial—and demanded the axing of SBS and gutting of the ABC.
And she launched a vicious attack on trans people, claiming “transgender ideology”, or trans people’s right to live as they choose, was being “imposed” in schools, workplaces and government authorities. She also opposed abortion rights, paid parental leave and government spending on childcare services.
Commentators have pointed to a dip in the polls for One Nation in the aftermath, as evidence this has cost them support. That’s encouraging. But the party’s poll surge has already given confidence to every racist and Trump supporter nationwide.
The major parties will respond by continuing to appease One Nation and adopting its policies.
We need to stand against One Nation’s racism and far right agenda if we’re going to drive them back.
By James Supple
