{"id":16534,"date":"2026-09-03T23:44:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T13:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/?p=16534"},"modified":"2026-09-03T23:45:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T13:45:08","slug":"populists-make-play-in-australias-fragmented-political-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/03\/populists-make-play-in-australias-fragmented-political-landscape\/","title":{"rendered":"Populists make a play in Australia’s fragmented political landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not even a <\/span>stunt<\/span> orchestrated by activist group <\/span>GetUp!<\/span><\/a> could derail One Nation leader Pauline Hanson\u2019s first appearance at the National Press Club in 30 years. <\/span><\/p>\n

While Hanson\u2019s 1996 maiden speech was a blunt declaration of an angry political outsider, calling for an end to immigration, multiculturalism and what she characterised as Indigenous privilege, h<\/span>er <\/span>recent address<\/span><\/a>\u00a0did little to lend credence to the notion that she has developed a fresh political vision. <\/span><\/p>\n

In June, Hanson instead presented a barely rough-hewn performance of a seasoned political insurgent, three decades into refining the same formulaic populist rhetoric \u2013 rhetoric including her most enduring policy position \u2013 to reject multiculturalism because, apparently, the nation has lost its identity and national values.<\/span><\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for Greens leader Larissa Waters to <\/a><\/span>describe<\/span> Hanson\u2019s speech as:<\/span><\/p>\n

An incoherent hatred offering nothing more than the same tired Islamophobia, transphobia, racism and protection racket for fossil fuels we\u2019ve heard from her for decades.<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hanson is far from being the first Australian political leader to lean on divisive and nationalist rhetoric. Challenging multiculturism as a political project has been increasingly framed in terms of its compatibility with national identity, social cohesion, social change and even the role of government.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Australia’s first prime minister, Edmund Barton, <\/span>argued<\/span> that racial equality did not exist<\/a> and that some races were \u201cunequal and inferior\u201d compared with white races. Thus, the White Australia policy remained a defining feature of Australian immigration policy for more than seven decades, from Federation in 1901 until its formal abolition in 1973.<\/span><\/p>\n

But contemporary politics is notably not immune to the challenges posed by populist ideals, which are often driven by national identity and resistance to social change, often with only superficial regard <\/span>when they reduce complex political and social problems to simple explanations and emotionally appealing solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

John Howard connected <\/span>Tampa<\/span><\/a> and the ‘<\/span>‘children overboard’ controversy<\/span><\/a>, crystallising his approach to immigration, border protection, and national sovereignty in his 2001 \u201c<\/span>We will decide<\/span><\/a>\u201d speech.<\/span><\/p>\n

Julia Gillard\u2019s 2012 ‘<\/span>misogyny speech’<\/span><\/a>\u00a0demonstrated a highly confrontational form of parliamentary rhetoric, using repetition, personal attack and moral indignation to challenge both Tony Abbott and the broader culture of sexism in Australian political life.<\/span><\/p>\n

But where Barton\u2019s typical appeal centred on bringing Australian colonies together and presenting Federation as a part of creating a united Australian nation, Hanson\u2019s proclivity is to position Australians <\/span>against each other<\/span><\/a> and against political elites and perceived outsiders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where Howard pursued a conservative, pragmatic and at-times populist rhetorical style, Hanson appears intent on portraying herself as a more confrontational, grievance-based populist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Where Gillard\u2019s relationship with the establishment was to work with and through them, Hanson constructs a sharp anti-establishment, frequently presenting ordinary Australians as being ignored or disadvantaged by groups portrayed as receiving preferential treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hanson and others mistake the rise or prevalence of multiculturalism as new phenomenon. It\u2019s not. Societies have been culturally and ethnically diverse throughout history due to migration, conquest, trade, and the movement of peoples.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cultural diversity has been a defining feature of Australian society \u2013 and long before Federation. Australia has been home to significant ethnic and cultural diversity, most fundamentally represented by First Nations peoples, who had maintained hundreds of distinct cultures, languages, and traditions across the continent for tens of thousands of years.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the 19th century, Australia received migrants from Britain, Ireland, China, Germany, Italy, the Pacific Islands and elsewhere. The Chinese gold rush migration in the 1850s created substantial Chinese communities, particularly in Victoria and New South Wales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hanson has vowed to shut down multicultural broadcaster SBS and make the ABC subscription-only in capital cities. She also promised to shut down government departments including \u201cthe climate change department\u201d and the \u201cAboriginal department [sic].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I assume she meant the ‘Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’ and the ‘National Indigenous Australians Agency’.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She also said that more than “1,375 people per day were being brought into Australia”. The figure, in fact, <\/span>represents<\/span><\/a> the total population growth, with net overseas migration and counts in natural increase from births.<\/span><\/p>\n

She cited a statistic that 35 oer cent of parents said their children had gone to school hungry. The actual figure <\/span>came<\/span> from a sample of about 4,400 people<\/a> who had sought assistance from the Salvation Army’s emergency services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But, as they say, why let facts get in the way of a good story. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why quote accurate details when details only create uncertainty, <\/span>when emotion can matter more than precision, when populism relies on clear divisions, w<\/span>hen details undermine a simple narrative, when repetition reinforces a claim even after it has been fact-checked, or when supporters value the broader message over factual precision?<\/span><\/p>\n

US President <\/span>Donald Trump\u2019s speeches are frequently littered with factual errors, exaggerations and claims that have been repeatedly debunked. Yet, factual inaccuracy has done little to diminish his political effectiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of Trump\u2019s success lies in the fact that his rhetoric is not primarily designed to provide a detailed account of policy; it is designed to provoke, persuade and reinforce a political narrative.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, British Right-wing populist politician Nigel Farage demonstrates the same paradox seen in much of contemporary populist politics: factual errors need not diminish political effectiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In February 2026, Farage <\/span>claimed<\/span> that one million people in Britain could not speak English<\/a> at all. Full Fact found that this was not correct, according to the 2021 Census, which appears to have been the source he was referring to. The Census data does not support the claim in that form.<\/span><\/p>\n

And, so, wh<\/span>y is One Nation\u2019s <\/span>primary support<\/span><\/a> sitting at 26 per cent, ahead of the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal-National coalition?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The short <\/span>answer<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is: Hanson\u2019s popularity is thought to be driven by deep-seated cost-of-living and housing anxieties, as well as a consistent, long-standing focus on restrictive immigration policies.<\/span><\/p>\n

One Nation\u2019s appeal shares deep structural and stylistic similarities with Trump and Farage. Hanson\u2019s movement personifies Australia\u2019s local version of the same Right-wing populist phenomenon seen in the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hanson and others mistake the rise or prevalence of multiculturalism as new phenomenon. It\u2019s not.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dutch political scientist Catherine E. de Vries and prominent Danish political scientist and professor at the London School of Economics Sara B. Hobolt <\/span>argue<\/span> that populist parties can be understood as \u201cchallenger parties\u201d<\/a>, and they describe them as political entrepreneurs who seek to disrupt the dominance of mainstream parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

These people identify grievances or attitudes that exist among a minority of voters, amplify them, and push them into mainstream political debate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evidence<\/span> suggests Australian grievances aren’t simply<\/a> \u201cpeople are becoming more racist\u201d or \u201cpeople are becoming anti-immigration”. Australians are increasingly concerned with cost-of-living pressure, housing affordability, immigration levels, declining sense of economic security, and concern about social change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps what is less obvious is that Australians are <\/span>increasingly dissatisfied<\/span><\/a> with the major parties. And, importantly, there is a deeper crisis of confidence emerging in the political system itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

After decades on the political fringes, One Nation has emerged as a serious electoral force, capitalising on these factors and other growing anxieties. <\/span><\/p>\n

Over the last 25 years, technological and cultural changes have profoundly transformed politics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Together, these forces have driven deeper divisions through society and, consequently, through politics itself. We have become a more <\/span>fractured and divided society,<\/span><\/a> with far less consensus around the shared values that once helped define our national identity. Should Hanson frame her views in this light, she may well be afforded a slight veneer of legitimacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Political discourse is now conducted in real time, accelerated by social media, the internet and, increasingly, artificial intelligence. This has placed politicians under unprecedented pressure to respond instantly while contributing to the erosion of public trust.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The result is a more <\/span>fragmented political landscape<\/span><\/a>, characterised by a fractured society, heightened polarisation and increasingly entrenched divisions, while more people are questioning the value and effectiveness of politics, creating a striking tension at the heart of contemporary democracy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Perhaps the great paradox of contemporary Australia is that we have become more progressive in some respects while, simultaneously, becoming more conservative in others. Rather than moving neatly in one ideological direction, society has become increasingly complex, contradictory and politically divided.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a <\/span>stronger commitment to the centre-Left<\/span><\/a> on a range of progressive issues, yet this has been accompanied by a renewed conservative movement and a revival of conservative ideology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These competing currents have created significant tensions within Australian politics, most notably within the coalition, which has become increasingly divided over what conservatism should mean in contemporary Australia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, governing and governance has become more difficult. Governments face greater challenges in identifying and pursuing policies in the national interest, as the extent of political polarisation makes the consensus necessary for meaningful reform increasingly difficult to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Published 3 September 2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you wish to republish this original article, please attribute to\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Rationale<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Click here<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0to find out more about republishing under Creative Commons.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Image: US Embassy Australia<\/a> (Flickr, CC); Shutterstock.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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