I’d just like to congratulate AFL side, North Melbourne, for their great win over the West Coast Eagles. At quarter time they were over thirty points up and a performance like that makes them a real premiership contender… Ok, West Coast went on to win their first game in over 300 days but I think the focus should all be on that first quarter.
And so it was with One Nation in the SA election: They beat the Liberals… Ok, not in terms of seats won, but in terms of the popular votes and we all know that, while that may not count for anything in practical terms, it’s a seismic shift in politics in this country, so don’t point out that – like the West Coast Eagles – the Liberals haven’t won very much lately… unless you count Angus winning over Sussan but, given they were both Liberals, it would be pretty hard for them to lose that one.
Yeah, I am being ironic just in case there are any One Nation supporters planning to quote me.
The trouble is that news is always focused on the unusual and Pauline’s popularity is something that nobody was expecting, probably most of all the people who work with her. It makes sense that the media should want to talk about this unusual event and try to push it harder than it actually deserves.
Now I know that momentum is a wonderful thing and I know that a sudden increase in one party’s vote could lead to an unstoppable train belting down the track with more force than Barnaby trying to get to the bar first, but unlike many other parties, I suspect One Nation has an inbuilt breaking system… (Yes, I did mean that and not “inbuilt braking system”).
To explain:
- The history of the party suggests that keeping all the newly elected MPs inside the tent may be difficult to achieve. After all they joined One Nation because they didn’t like those politicians telling them what sort of Australia we should have, so when Pauline tells them what to do and say, there can be the odd defection. I was waiting to hear some journalist ask Cory Bernardi if he was planning to stay in One Nation or leave it a few weeks after the election to set up his own party like he did with the Liberals.
- There’s sort of an obvious ceiling to One Nation votes imposed by the fact that Pauline has been openly hostile to migrants. Not just migrants but Muslims. And inner city people “disconnected” from the needs of the country. And marriage equality. And people in public housing, calling them drug addicts. And women who leave their husbands. And students with disabilities. And… all right, she might love Australia but she hates a clear majority of the people in it. It makes it hard for her to win a majority of votes.
- The mind set of One Nation makes it easy for people to vote for them when they have no chance of winning. It becomes a little bit more concerning when you think that they might actually be in charge. And the party itself doesn’t see itself as a potential government. The very fact that they were talking about what a great “win” it was in South Australia. “Without you we would never have got there,” said Pauline, talking to the volunteers. Goodly Godly, they only just beat the Liberal Party and we’re all aware of what a shocking mess they’re in!!
Pauline’s speech on Saturday accentuates all these points. “Guess what, mate,” she said, by way of congratulating Labor on the win. “I’m leaving you some landmines.” Now while I understand that she was speaking metaphorically and – just to be clear in case she was reported to ASIO – she added that the so-called landmines were One Nation members of Parliament. It’s not the sort of approach that suggests that One Nation is wanting to play a constructive role in ensuring that Labor is doing the best job possible. They want to wreck the current government, not build up the state that they may one day be leading… But then it’s not their state, is it?
In saying that it’s not “their” state, I’m picking up on something else Senator Hanson said when talking about the upcoming election in Victoria. She warned: “We’re coming to support you down here, so stand candidates.” That makes it sound like she thinks that Victoria is part of some whole other place and that it’s not part of the great One Nation family. It’s not “We’ll be standing candidates” but rather “You stand candidates because we’re coming to support you”! Who’s the we?
Of course, I have to always consider the possibility that the anti-vaxxers were right and that the Covid-19 shot killed us all in 2022 and that Trump’s election and everything is just part of the particular circle of Hell that we’re now in and a PM Pauline would just be the final piece to make us aware that the suffering never ends!
The harridan ranga will be able to justify upgrading to a Ram broom after that thumping win in crow eater territory, no pussy EV broom for her.
I hope she remembered to turn out the lights when she left.
Ugly as a hat full of arseholes, and about as smart.
No Hanson. Weve had enough of Trump and Netanyahu without propping up Pantsdown.
But this is a populist pleb vote. It stems from a disillusion with political spin, curried by the fascist press and meeja in place of communications with the public.
These are the beginnings of this process. It has swallowed up the Libs, who are no longer any sort of force, but they also represent a warning to Labor, not to glad hand issues like housing defence spending and foreign affairs to outsiders.
Hanson merely exploits- an opportunist with no policies because policy is anathema to populists, who are like a weather-vane..which ever way the wind blows.
Aaahh, One Nation, the Party you vote for when you don’t want to vote for a Party
@ Gregl: Just like the NOtional$ candidates who become MPs ….. the politicians you have when you want a lazy representative of the NOtional$ rather than a representative of the voters.
INDEPENDENTS GET THINGS DONE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.
What do LIARBRAL$, NOtional$ & ON do??
When Farrer voters choose an INDEPENDENT their kids will get the better future that they deserve.
@ Rossleigh: You detailed list of the ”wonderful attributes” of the rabid ranga will surely make her a suitable leader of the LIARBRAL$ after the next election proves that Anus Faylure is truly the last politician at the bottom of the political barrel.
But have you overlooked her enthusiasm for persons to run for pre-selection where the reports are On requires a $20,000 non-refundable ”deposit” and mandatory purchasing of ALL election material from the printing company in which she may have a financial interest?
Like alleged Russian assets Farage and Reform*, no surprise on ON winning seats &/or local government based on pensioner populism and collective narcissism induced by the RW MSM on anti-net zero and anti-immigrant agitprop before ‘the great replacement’ does it’s work.
*In local government unprofessional, incompetent and shambolic, maybe that’s why they are promoted is to give liberal democracy a bad name?
In 1998, eleven candidates for One Nation were elected to Qld State Parliament. Nine of them failed to fully serve their first term and only one was re-elected for a second term.
@ Andrew Smith: It is well known in government circles that the top stream recruits for government go into the Premier & Cabinet or Treasury, the middle stream go into other diverse departments and the dregs end up in Local Government.
Then constitutionally, Local Government remains a state government responsibility because three referenda have failed to be accepted to include Local Government in the Constitution.