Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at One Nation following a groundswell of support for the minor party at the South Australian election.
Pauline Hanson’s party received a surge in support in this year’s SA state election despite Labor and Premier Peter Malinauskas securing a decisive victory.
The minor party made history on Saturday by claiming its first lower house seat in the state, as One Nation candidate Robert Roylance led in Hammond.
One Nation’s success has fueled attacks from both major parties as they seek to stifle its momentum and preserve their own voter bases.
Speaking at an event in Melbourne recognising Vietnamese Australians the day after SA went to the polls, the Prime Minister called on Australians to challenge those attempting to “turn back the clock” on the nation in a veiled dig at One Nation’s stance on immigration.
“We need to be vigilant,” he told an audience at the Immigration Museum on Sunday.
“There are some, including some in political life, who want to turn back the clock to an Australia that is no longer who we are and we need to call out those people.
“We need to continue to cherish our diversity as a strength for our nation, which it is.
“The fact that people have come from all over the world, and there is no better example than the Vietnamese community.
“The people who are now our doctors, our nurses, our teachers, our academics, our construction workers, our people who’ve made such an incredible contribution to Australia.
“We should not take it for granted.”
Mr Albanese’s remarks echoed past criticism of One Nation’s immigration policies, which call for major cuts to the number of migrants allowed into Australia, tougher visa laws and raising the bar for those seeking Australian citizenship.
They also reflect growing unease among both major parties about the potential for the minor party to repeat its SA success at a national level.
The state election provided major wins for One Nation, including an upper house seat for former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi – the party’s leader in SA.
Commenting on the victory, Mr Bernardi said voters were seeking representatives willing to challenge the traditional parties.
“I think people have voted for One Nation because people have been left behind by uni-party politics,” he told Sky News.
Senator Hanson also sent a pointed warning to Premier Malinauskas in the wake of her party’s success.
“I will say to Peter Malinauskas… I’m leaving you some landmines… they’re called One Nation Members of Parliament,” she said.
“So, I suggest you don’t step on them, because they will explode.”
She framed the party’s rise as part of a nationwide shift, promising to support candidates in Victoria and beyond.
“Where we are tonight, just to let you know, this is the low tide… I believe that our vote will rise even more,” Senator Hanson said.