Tony Abbott has backed Angus Taylor following the Opposition Leader’s criticism of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Mr Taylor warned a One Nation government would deliver an “eternity of pain” for Australians during his speech to the Sydney Institute earlier this week.
He also argued the party’s policies would increase inflation, lift interest rates and worsen the nation’s debt position.
The former prime minister and Liberal Party president has since backed Mr Taylor’s attack on One Nation.
He echoed the Opposition Leader’s comments and said One Nation “didn’t have any deep answers” to the country’s problems.
“(Mr Taylor) pointed out, quite rightly, that while he absolutely understood why voters were attracted to One Nation because of the Coalition’s previous failings, One Nation didn’t have any deep answers to our problems,” Mr Abbott told The Saturday Telegraph.
He also said he thought Mr Taylor’s address was “first and foremost a fierce attack on the Labor economic policies that are a recipe for slow national suicide”.
Meanwhile, former prime minister John Howard has also supported Mr Taylor scrutinising the party.
Pointing to his move to place Pauline Hanson’s party last on vote cards in 2001, the former prime minister said it was now a “matter for Angus” to decide what is “right”.
“The (strategy) I took years ago was right then; what’s right now is a matter for Angus,” he told the masthead.
While receiving support from party luminaries, Mr Taylor is experiencing a split in the partyroom.
Conservative Liberal Senator Alex Antic said the Opposition Leader’s criticism was not “helpful”.
Speaking on Sky News on Friday, Senator Antic said he disagreed with Mr Taylor’s attitude towards One Nation.
“I don’t think it’s helpful to be crossing swords with One Nation,” Senator Antic told Sky News host James MacPherson.
“We shouldn’t be enemies.”
It comes after Mr Taylor in his Sydney Institute address said he understood why frustrated Australians were considering minor parties, but warned voters against supporting One Nation.
“Many have lost hope,” Mr Taylor said.
“They look left at a government that lies to them. They look right at an opposition that has too many times let them down.
“I understand why some Australians think the way out is to blow the place up.
“But to those who feel like lighting a match, believe me when I say, that a moment of satisfaction isn’t worth the eternity of pain that will follow.”
He also described One Nation as a “column of smoke” and said its policies amounted to a “random grab bag of poorly defined, contradictory, and constantly changing positions”.
The remarks sparked backlash from Ms Hanson, who claimed Mr Taylor had adopted several policies from her party despite now arguing that One Nation’s agenda would damage the economy.
“You can reflect back on your budget reply speech. You picked up and said a lot of One Nation’s policies, so, I don’t agree with you having a go at me and what I stand for,” Ms Hanson said in a one-minute clip shared on X on Thursday.
She pointed specifically to immigration and net zero, saying the Coalition had shifted closer to One Nation’s position.
“Reduction of immigration… you followed our lead. Net zero, again, you followed our lead,” she said.
“So, a lot of these policies that you say won’t work – that’s not the truth at all.”