{"id":58411,"date":"2026-07-26T00:42:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/58411\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T00:42:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:42:15","slug":"labor-national-secretary-paul-erickson-says-next-election-opponent-will-be-one-nation-and-coalition-working-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/58411\/","title":{"rendered":"Labor National Secretary Paul Erickson says next election opponent will be One Nation and Coalition \u2018working together\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Labor National Secretary Paul Erickson has conceded the Albanese government is preparing to fight against One Nation at the next federal election in 2028.<\/p>\n

Mr Erickson told Sky News Sunday Agenda that One Nation will form part of its political opponent, arguing the Coalition “can’t govern without One Nation” and vice versa.<\/p>\n

He defended the party’s decision to make One Nation a central focus of the party\u2019s three-day National Conference<\/a> ahead of the 2028 federal election.<\/p>\n

“The situation that we’re preparing for is an election where we will face an opponent in the form of the Coalition and One Nation working together because they have to, because the polls show that neither of them can win without the other,” Mr Erickson said.<\/p>\n

“At the next election, the choice will be between a Labor government that’s delivering real change\u2026 or an alternative of a chaotic and divided Coalition-One Nation government.<\/p>\n

“That’s the case that we have to build and set out over the next two years.”<\/p>\n

Pressed on how many Labor-held seats were under threat from One Nation, Mr Erickson declined to speculate but said the party was planning for that electoral scenario.<\/p>\n

“One of my rules in life has always been not to make predictions about the outcome of any upcoming election, but instead to prepare,” he said.<\/p>\n

Asked why Labor had chosen to openly elevate One Nation during its conference rather than ignore it, Mr Erickson said delegates had been motivated by the need to prepare for “a very stark and clear choice” at the next election.<\/p>\n

“What has concentrated the minds across the party and the Labor movement has been the prospect of a very stark and clear choice about the direction of the country at the next election,” he said.<\/p>\n

“What I’ve detected over the course of the three days from delegates right across the board… has been a sense of urgency about the need to set that case out.”<\/p>\n

The comments came after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese devoted much of his keynote address to Labor’s 50th National Conference to attacking One Nation.<\/p>\n

\"\u2018They\u2019re<\/p>\n

Mr Albanese repeatedly argued the Liberal Party, Nationals and One Nation were already operating as a political coalition.<\/p>\n

“Beyond One Nation’s personality clashes, policy confusion, conspiracy theories and candidate chaos, and regardless of who leads the Liberals to the next election, in every way that matters, the Liberals, Nationals, and One Nation are already a coalition,” he told delegates.<\/p>\n

“It’s not just that they need each other to form government, they agree with each other about what they want to do in government.”<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister accused the three parties of wanting to cut wages, weaken workplace protections, abandon renewable energy in favour of nuclear power, make housing less affordable and cut Medicare.<\/p>\n

The emphasis on One Nation continued to underpin the conference’s messaging, with Mr Albanese’s closing address urging delegates to campaign on Labor’s platform of “real change” as the party began the road towards the next election.<\/p>\n

While the conference projected an image of unity, it was also marked by criticism that debate within the party had been stifled.<\/p>\n

Labor entered the conference with an uncontested national executive after all 20 positions were filled unopposed, while key policy disputes were resolved before reaching the conference floor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Labor<\/p>\n

Former cabinet minister Ed Husic warned the party risked confusing internal debate with disloyalty.<\/p>\n

“I just don’t think (the lack of debate) is healthy for the party\u2026 You’ve got to be able to find a way to disagree respectfully,” Mr Husic said.<\/p>\n

Mr Husic also said One Nation’s rise represented an uncomfortable reality for Labor because it had occurred while the Albanese government was in office.<\/p>\n

“We have a competitor that a lot of people talk about now that is energised. It’s attracted a lot of members,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey feel their party listens to them and they are attracted by the idea that this is a party that will stand up for what they think is right for the country.<\/p>\n

“I disagree with that but that is the way they are operating.”<\/p>\n

He described One Nation’s electoral momentum as “an inconvenient truth” for Labor.<\/p>\n

“This is a scrub fire that started in the conservative fringe and has come over to us,” Mr Husic said.<\/p>\n

“If anyone suggests it’s not a threat, we spend a lot of time talking about a threat that’s not a threat\u2026 So we need to take it seriously.”<\/p>\n

The conference took place after recent Sky News Pulse\/YouGov polling showed One Nation surge to a record 30 per cent primary vote before easing back to 26 per cent.<\/p>\n

While One Nation\u2019s support dipped by four points to 26 per cent, it still has a comfortable lead over the Coalition on 20 per cent (up three points).<\/p>\n

The Greens received 12 per cent of the vote while the new teal party, Community Strong Australia, recorded just 2 per cent of the vote in its first appearance in the poll.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Labor National Secretary Paul Erickson has conceded the Albanese government is preparing to fight against One Nation 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