One Nation has long been a puppet show but the strings are fraying
Revelations about One Nation come as the party is poised to play an unprecedented role in the Victorian election.
Hanson was quick to defend her independence. “I’m not Gina’s puppet. I’m no one’s puppet – they have been trying to pin that on me for years and years and years,” she said. “Is Anthony Albanese [Anthony] Pratt’s puppet? Is he [Andrew] Twiggy Forrest’s puppet? Is he the unions’ puppet?”
Hanson had massive difficulties controlling the 11 One Nation candidates elected to the Queensland parliament in 1989. They all resigned within nine months as Hanson’s top-down leadership style turned her MPs into a herd of Brown’s cows.
One Nation is poised in opinion polls to have an unprecedented role in the Victorian election. Senior politicians in NSW are also worried about the impact One Nation will have on the March state election. Labor has expressed concerns that up to a dozen of its seats could be vulnerable to the populist party, while the NSW Nationals are concerned about its impact on their vote – particularly in the upper house.
However, our revelations expose the inconsistency, hypocrisy and internal strife that still beleaguers the party – the same problems that were on display in Brisbane 37 years ago.
Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
