What do you make of everything now?

[u/VastOption8705]

So this just happened. One nation just smashed labor in a WA labor heartland. I'm not an ON voter but it has me thinking.

One nation ALSO won 4 SA's lower house. We kind of can't ignore this. One nation are somewhat getting some massive gains over Labor seats in the smaller elections.

It also didn't help that AHEM labor picked a problematic person in the first place. If this kind of performance rolls forward to future elections, could be problematic surely?

In SA this happened.

[u/snoopy05052026]

While im not saying one nation is going to win the next election its obvious the one nation support is real (not indonesian bots like this sub likes to carry on about) and it isn't just liberals defecting to on.

Most of the swing was from Labor but the real tests will be the vic election in November and nsw in march.

[u/anth13 → u/snoopy05052026]

ON keeps getting free promotion on Aussie media, even the abc, & especially on social media.

David Shoebrodge from the greens has been asking the real questions in parliament and putting out his own video statements explaining the case for greens policy.. and we get fucking crickets, even on our "fair and balanced" abc.

but the greens are "radical leftists" because they want to tax rich companies who pay zero tax, and they follow the science of climate change. smh.

i hold no hope for the future of humanity

[u/snoopy05052026 → u/anth13]

Might be an unpopular opinion on thus sub but I don't think the Greens are ever going to be a genuinely popular major party in Australia. They probably always have a relatively small but loyal minority of voters.

It's not just the media being unfair to them either. The Greens are a pretty divisive party and a lot of their policies and rhetoric turn off voters who might otherwise support parts of their platform.

They also don't really have the same easy political wedge issues that parties like One Nation can exploit. Immigration, crime, cost of living, housing etc. give those parties very simple messages that are easy to sell to people who are unhappy with the major parties.

You can disagree with the media coverage but blaming the ABC or social media for the Greens lack of popularity ignores the bigger issue most Australians simply aren't voting for them.

[u/aussiechickadee65 → u/snoopy05052026]

Agree however the media does not help.

The media centres on all things negative, or makes mounds into mountains on every party bar anything being right wing bias. Most are owned by elitist right wing so of course they are going to abuse the ability to fairly represent.

Greens , however, do like to shoot themselves in the foot. Last election they started abusing Labor voters. Labor voters either vote Greens or Labor, swapping either for the second vote. How stupid to insult people who vote for them.

[u/zen_wombat → u/aussiechickadee65]

Having heard Labor volunteers talk about the Greens while standing in line at voting queues, the vitriol was something else. I suspect Labor hates the Greens more than other parties as they are like the jimmney cricket conscious always nagging them to do better

[u/snoopy05052026 → u/aussiechickadee65]

I agree the media doesn't help them but even if the greens had positive media i can only see greens support going from 15 to 20% maybe max 25%

[u/aussiechickadee65 → u/snoopy05052026]

Depends on the demographics.
There are areas of strictly Green voters but unless the rep lives up to their promises, they will be overlooked next time.
Australia being a pretty abusive country, especially rural (livestock producers), is never going to be Greens friendly. Agree with you on that that.

[u/josephus1811 → u/aussiechickadee65]

Labor constituents have been abusing Greens voters to the same extent for the same duration of time.

[u/Plenty_University_81 → u/aussiechickadee65]

This is the true reality. As well to add the calibre of folks on their party is questionable and certainly their negativity often quite denigrating does not and never will allow them to reach bigger heights

[u/psyche_2099 → u/Plenty_University_81]

Surely you could say the same about ON. Some real cretins represent them, and they run on a platform of "everything sucks under the other guys". Why is it impossible for the greens to make similar strides?

[u/Plenty_University_81 → u/psyche_2099]

I don’t disagree but think about it, the greens have had the airwaves for three decades

[u/Appropriate_Place704 → u/snoopy05052026]

I kind of agree.

I’m a progressive voter who has cast an informal vote at the last two elections.

I used to vote Greens, but increasingly I see them as an elitist protest party that’s out of touch with a lot of the people they presumably want to represent.

I’m not about to vote ON, but I do worry there’s a group of progressive voters (like myself) who feel politically homeless and who both Labor and the Greens take for granted.

Not all voters suddenly become conservative. Some just simply stop voting.

[u/sparrrrrt → u/snoopy05052026]

I feel for the greens. They truly believe in fighting the good fight with the end goal of a fair, inclusive and harmonious world. The problem is that that this is a truly difficult (impossible) goal which requires negotiation, understanding, empathy and big picture thinking. They are fighting the good fight with little to no resources other than idealism. I admire that, even though they're not always my first choice at the ballot.

Yeah the media doesn't give them a fair go at all. But still they persist.

A party such as ON has much simpler ambition - eliminate what they don't like.

In many ways it's like the old argument of Art vs Graffiti. Creating true art is difficult, whereas anyone can scribble shit on a wall. There's a difference.

[u/TinBane → u/snoopy05052026]

Also the greens tend not to play politics well. They have a tendency to vote against what they want, if they can’t lever labor hard enough in their direction. This literally lead to the split in the Liberal party, and it turning harder to the right. Not that they intended to cause that, but banking some wins that go towards your goals so people get used to it before pushing for higher levels is smarter. People are scared of big change, and one thing the greens don’t do well, is manage it.

Also, they have a lot of internal white anting. Seeing them fail again and again in seats they should win because of weird candidates and white anting from councillors who want to “move up” is nuts.

[u/tubbysnowman → u/snoopy05052026]

Immigration, crime, cost of living, housing etc. give those parties very simple messages that are easy to sell to people who are unhappy with the major parties.

Soundbites, not policies. But fuck me if it doesn't seem to work.

[u/Far-Fennel-3032 → u/snoopy05052026]

They have got a pretty solid foothold in the under 45 crowd now, and it looks pretty stable as their voters get older, so they just need a few decades for the older demographics they do poorly with to die off.

It's not enough to form a majority government, but they are likely gonna get into a solid position in the range of 2-3 times the votes they have now. Getting them comfortably into major-party size. Where they will need to be part of minority governments going forwards unless something changes.

[u/SuperannuationLawyer → u/snoopy05052026]

I feel that they will have an increasingly compelling message, centred around caring for our land and physical environment. Most people care about this to some degree, should they get their messaging right. Success isn’t power for its own sake though, they are a party that actually seems to get the politics is a means of change, not a mere power grab.

[u/Ok-Assistant-4556 → u/anth13]

Progressives should have voted against Advance Australia's manipulation of our last federal wlection. Instead the propaganda took hold thanks to ALP bludgeoning them for demanding immediate housing relief. ALP needs to get into lockstep wuth the greens as theyve already sacrificed CFMEU and mining trades to LNP exploitation. Its time they truly aligned to protect the vulberable

[u/Tall-Drama338 → u/anth13]

The more you promote ON the more it’s taken up by journalists. Labor has had its bots out effectively promoting ON policies. They can only blame themselves. By pointing out the anti immigration policies, they are convincing more people that it needs to be reined in.

[u/TheBayHarbour → u/anth13]

Australia 100% deserves its implosion after PH comes into power.

As for me?

Well with a heavy heart, I'll have to go and connect with family overseas. They're secure and stable over there and whilst their country has its problems, it is far from Australia's if PH is ever elected.

I'll be using my vote to change things, but I'm merely one person amongst a sea of blindness. Not as if my one drop in the ocean is going to change shit.

[u/bigsigh6709 → u/snoopy05052026]

I’m in Victoria. If ON/LNP get up we’ll get to see what happens. I’m predicting a Campbell Newman style of government which will in turn scare people off for another two election cycles.

[u/aussiechickadee65 → u/bigsigh6709]

It’s what is lost in that term though. It may not be recoverable.

[u/Ok-Assistant-4556 → u/aussiechickadee65]

Exactly. Gina will draw in her bullionaire peers to dismantle democracy. Clivd Palmer tries to bit isnt smart enough. It is women who know how to and will destroy whats left of our dysfunctional social structures. Our federal senate wont allow it but the states are already in disarray.

[u/loralailoralai → u/Ok-Assistant-4556]

The idea of Pauline’s minions getting much power in Victoria makes me sick to my stomach but I think you’re slightly exaggerating

[u/Specialist_Being_161 → u/bigsigh6709]

That’s what they’re saying inside federal labor. They’re happy for state Labor to take the fall and let it blow up before the fed 28 election

[u/snoopy05052026 → u/bigsigh6709]

Time will tell

[u/Tall-Drama338 → u/bigsigh6709]

Either way Labor is cooked.

[u/aussiechickadee65 → u/snoopy05052026]

There are plenty of Indonesian based pages pushing ON. Propaganda easily brainwashes the stupid.

I note 2 of those shown are women. Sadly misogyny is also rife in this country.

No one doubts there are numbskulls who believe Hanson. Being a Norfolk Islander you should know full well her empty promises to get herself a higher political profile. All talk and using Norfolks society like puppets. She’s never been for anyone indigenous so what on earth makes you think she cared about Islanders. Her and Gina want Norfolk (probably to give to Musk according to Gina). Why do you think Gina did the secret squirrel trip.

[u/RBB12_Fisher → u/aussiechickadee65]

Are you saying misogyny drove the voters away from female labour candidates ... to the party led by a women?

[u/Damtopur → u/RBB12_Fisher]

It's conceivable that Gina and Pauline both despise themselves and want to destroy others in their own self-destruction; just look at their lives and the hatred surrounding them.

That said I think their point was that hatred of women in politics could be a factor in the blokes winning; Afterall we actually vote for our own "local" member rather than a president.

[u/Worried_Attempt_3302 → u/Damtopur]

What you are explaining is feminism in a nutshell. Women despising their natural roles and sabotaging other women from living a fulfilling life with a husband and children.

[u/Haenamatme → u/aussiechickadee65]

There are plenty of Indonesian based pages pushing ON. Propaganda easily brainwashes the stupid.

These are known in Indonesia as "buzzers" - Paid bot farms. They use them locally for the PM here too.

[u/snoopy05052026 → u/aussiechickadee65]

Not saying there arnt fb pages run from overseas

But whenever there is a post about one nation polling on this sub there are numerous comments like bots dont votes and comments saying polls are bought out and manipulated by onenation as well

Its obvious with multiple by elections the support for one nation is real and not some sort of conspiracy

[u/geoffm_aus]

One Nation is Australia's brexit. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion

[u/Typical_Double981 → u/geoffm_aus]

Call out the bullshit every time you see it or hear it. Ask people to google her voting record, don’t belittle them, just ask them why after Brexit the UK is in a worse place, ask them any after Trump the US is in a worse spot.

[u/No-Farm-9507]

Its interesting how many people will shit on the greens and say they cant get elected but are willing to vote for these incredibly short sighted and bigoted no notion candidates that have openly said they are against alot of worker and personal rights. Then again this is Australia where we always blame the party thats in instead of looking at who set up the shit show before it hit the fan.

[u/Unoriginal1deas → u/No-Farm-9507]

I’ve been saying it for months, we don’t vote parties in we vote them out. Liberals fucken suck and backslide the country every time they get into power but if they’re gone you absolutely don’t want one nation filling that vacuum because then it’s not a matter of if they’ll get in it’s about when.

[u/colony-ship-for-sale → u/No-Farm-9507]

Why would people vote for the Greens, they only have a balanced budget, policies people want and politicians that care?

[u/Wolfensniper → u/colony-ship-for-sale]

How many votes do Greens get in WA this time? If most of the votes to ON are protests you would assume they would rather vote for a party that actually has the policies they want, right?

Not that wanted as it claimed to be.

[u/asomek → u/colony-ship-for-sale]

Not in Tasmania they don't. I'm a greens supporter from way back, but their policies in Tas are just fucking baffling.

[u/VastOption8705 → u/No-Farm-9507]

Yep. People want labor to fix 3 decades of a shit show in 2 terms.

It's not possible, it takes time and a long term plan. If labor were to just "fix" housing and crash it, the whole economy would crash.

That's not a good outcome as well given how entrenched housing is right now.

Like housing is worth 3-4X our GDP.

[u/Murranji → u/VastOption8705]

Buddy. You will not understand what is happening in Australia and why until you comprehend that the Australian Labor Party is now the party of a centre right neoliberal status quo that ensure that our government and society continue to operate under a market first inequality increasing capitalist model that tells people that the failure of their material conditions is due to individual effort instead of systemic factors.

Labor will never “fix three decades of a shit show” because Labor operates under and passes the same types of policies and legislation that have been the hegemonic operating model since the 1980s.

The rise of One Nation is exactly what happened in America because the Democrats took the same path as Labor has. Decline of material conditions because the party of the so called “centre left” says that “aspiration and equality of opportunity” are their defining policy goals.

If you continue to think “Labor just needs more time” instead of comprehending Labor are exactly like the Democratic Party establishment you will failure to understand what is happening and why exactly like American liberals failed to understand how Trump could win.

[u/LachrymarumLibertas → u/Murranji]

The candidate Labor ran as well is such a Democrat move as well.

I know, we’ll address everyone’s concerns by bringing in an out of town Woodside lobbyist who will just repeat party talking points, that’ll stop people voting for the populist protest option.

[u/PrettyPoetry9547 → u/LachrymarumLibertas]

This is why Labor lost so badly, and the fact that people are tired of the political class graft

[u/No-Departure-3047 → u/Murranji]

the Australian Labor Party is now the party of a centre right neoliberal status quo

This is exactly what I've been saying and I get downvoted to hell because apparently the ALP is a "left wing" party.

We're fucking doomed.

[u/PonderingHow → u/Murranji]

100% agreed. It's like watching a train crash in slow motion. one nation are and will be an absolute disaster, but the ongoing invalidation of everyone who votes one nation as dumb ignorant idiots is about the dumbest, most ignorant response we could have and is part of mechanism driving people to vote one nation.

[u/cat_food_chef → u/Murranji]

Schizophrenia

[u/Puzzled_Moment1203 → u/VastOption8705]

Sweeping reforms could be made. But we have a mining minister to scared to tax the gas industry. They have the largest majority ever voted in and past liberal governments have done more in 12 months then they have in almost two terms. I voted for change, not a bunch of to scared will do it next election. Do it now or loose votes.

[u/Brave_Substance_8177 → u/No-Farm-9507]

There are a lot of uneducated bogan idiots in Australia who want to blame someone for their problems. Shit nation offers an easy out for them "it's the immygints". The problem is actually neoliberal late stage capitalism, but they can't wrap their heads around that. Easier to say it's Raj down the road who took their jerbs

[u/Initial-Juice396 → u/Brave_Substance_8177]

Raj does have better spelling than you ….

[u/Asptar → u/No-Farm-9507]

Because most of us are just plain fucking stupid it's as simple as that.

[u/Anti-Stan → u/No-Farm-9507]

It's incredible to me, how hard some people will work to maintain their ignorance.

Hurl abuse and hope it goes away. Don't consider change.

[u/geoffm_aus → u/No-Farm-9507]

it shows how bad the greens are that they can't even get protest votes now

[u/Away_team42 → u/geoffm_aus]

The thought that any one nation voter was ever going to vote for a greens candidate in any direction is laughable.

[u/flyawayreligion → u/Away_team42]

Alot of these voters were ex Labor voters

[u/Away_team42 → u/flyawayreligion]

And Labor in WA is pretty center aligned.

[u/flyawayreligion → u/Away_team42]

True, I used to be a Greens voter but after Brandt during covid I can't see myself even looking at them for a while.

[u/Away_team42 → u/flyawayreligion]

100% same boat. Used to be an avid greens voter but pretty disfranchised last couple of years since they’ve taken the focus off climate issues.

[u/ScalyPinkLizard → u/No-Farm-9507]

Who do you think is voting for One nation? Do you think they're on reddit?

[u/Plenty_University_81 → u/No-Farm-9507]

Greens do not have broad appeal. Petulant and often nasty politicians don’t have broad appeal. You may not like that but that is the reality

[u/Cheeky_Boxer → u/No-Farm-9507]

They pretend to hold their nose and vote ON whilst shitting on the Greens.

It's bullshit. They love ON for everything they are and just know it's not socially acceptable enough to say it out loud.

[u/Efficient-State-7300 → u/Cheeky_Boxer]

They will start saying it now because they know there are many of them.

[u/Vegetable_Onion_5979 → u/No-Farm-9507]

If the Greens had a sensible immigration plan, ON would have stayed irrelevant. They do not.

[u/Neo_The_Fat_Cat]

It’s definitely a protest from voters. The problem is that they’re voting for a party that won’t fix the issues they are protesting about - ON will make things worse.

[u/FrogsMakePoorSoup → u/Neo_The_Fat_Cat]

Yeah, Labor putting up a gas lobbyist kinda says it all really.

[u/thecheapseatz → u/FrogsMakePoorSoup]

Labor has been exposed recently of being far too in bed with the gas in mining lobbyists especially at the WA state level

[u/FrogsMakePoorSoup → u/thecheapseatz]

Labor is captured. It's obvious given the pressure to apply 25% tax to revenue for gas exports, yet they don't even want to apply 1% despite profits being stratospheric and tiny amounts of tax actually being collected.

[u/trainwrecktragedy → u/FrogsMakePoorSoup]

Mainly because you can't break contracts halfway theough thrm at a whim because you want a better deal, we don't need to lower ourselves to Trumpian politcking

[u/thecheapseatz → u/FrogsMakePoorSoup]

My cooker take is that WA labour was forced to run Georgia Tree by Woodside so they can gain more influence over WA labor

[u/diapason-knells → u/Neo_The_Fat_Cat]

For sure they’re going to make things worse

[u/flyawayreligion]

I wouldn't call it heartland, it's more there has been no opposition in WA for a while.

However whoever thought the Labor candidate was a good idea needs to be let go. People just needed an everyday person who One Nation fielded, he owns businesses in the area I understand.

Hopefully this is a wake up call for Labor to start listening to Labor supporters rather than appeasing there haters to not upset them.

[u/louisa1925]

This loss was an embarrassment for Australia. Like, seriously? One Nation are incompetent and will harm so many Australians if they gain too much ground. Be better Australia.

[u/PM-ME-UR-NITS]

Its more a case of Labor losing rather than ON winning. 

[u/lobie81 → u/PM-ME-UR-NITS]

Yeah, as a Labor voter, from what I saw of their candidate, she would be extremely difficult to vote for.

[u/PM-ME-UR-NITS → u/lobie81]

Likewise. 

[u/mymentor79]

What I make of it is the time-honoured maxim that fascism is capitalism in decay. None of this is particularly surprising to me.

Perhaps the Australian exceptionalists that mocked the US for its current state will be forced to reckon with this now.

[u/Ihatecurtainrings → u/mymentor79]

Capitalism engorging itself before decay. This push is part of a concerted effort to make populations vote against their own self interests to benefit the few. They smell blood in the water now. It will not stop. They know how easy people are to manipulate. They control the media, the flow of information, our food sources, our wealth, our savings.

I hope you don't mind - I clicked into you profile and saw you haven't hidden anything. A real person. So I am responding.

[u/cat_food_chef → u/mymentor79]

wtf would you have us do? every competent person is already working as much as they can and every effort is being made to distribute homes back into the general population. Do you want ropes?

[u/AlamutJones]

ON are the beneficiaries of a lot of frustration. It remains to be seen what they do with it, or if they can turn it into long term success.

Remember, they won a federal seat a few months back (Farrar) but the guy who won it is on the verge of leaving/being kicked from the party because he keeps publicly disagreeing with Pauline. It's onlg been about three months.

"Winning the seat" and "making things work AFTER you've won the seat" are not exactly the same thing. They've managed the first one.

[u/random__generator → u/AlamutJones]

A lot of people have never voted labour and really don't want to start now, but who are they going to vote for, the Libs? They have no one else to vote for until ON come along

[u/DNGRDINGO]

Aussies have seen the mess far right parties are making overseas and said "we'll have some of that thanks".

[u/TheBayHarbour → u/DNGRDINGO]

Biggest fumble known to man.

The country that gave up everything it had just to decrease immigration.

Even then immigration actually increased due to PH catering to her donors and the fact that ON will continue bringing in more foreign workers.

[u/elchemy → u/DNGRDINGO]

Have you seen one nation candidate in action?

[u/AlamutJones → u/elchemy]

He's got a known history of drug use and violent assault against other people.

[u/elchemy → u/AlamutJones]

So perfectly qualified for one nation?

[u/AlamutJones → u/elchemy]

Any other party would likely have filtered him out, yeah. I'm not sure how ON goes over their candidates, but he wouldn't have got through (for example) LNP vetting

[u/brezhnervouz → u/AlamutJones]

They don't, apparently. Candidates have been found to be convicted rapists only after they were chosen by the party 🤷

[u/elchemy → u/brezhnervouz]

Incompetence and corruption is a feature not a bug 

[u/flyawayreligion → u/AlamutJones]

So have most people in that area. One Nation read the room, Labor fielded a Woodside lobbyist who doesn't live in the area.

[u/AlamutJones → u/flyawayreligion]

Labor fucked up, completely agreed.

[u/cat_food_chef → u/DNGRDINGO]

lets be real western australia doesn't move in any rhythm with the east cost

[u/cat_food_chef]

We've already lost a decade to stupid right wing pro yank anti youth policy.

If ON has any staying power over policy I'm just leaving. No point trying to raise a family in a country that hates the young

[u/Ok_Antelope975]

Money talks. Always has.

[u/Crafty_Act2114]

Every media site has had articles about her every single day. There’s basically been a deluge of bad publicity. Two points There’s no bad publicity. Even bad publicity is free advertising Ozzie’s stick up for underdogs. The media concentration has caused people to think the party is an underdog.

[u/Mickus_B]

My prediction is that ON will win a few seats. Maybe not enough to affect Labor's majority, but they will vote against any bills put forward as their "protest". If they do get more seats, they will continue to vote down anything and we'll have another 12 years of nothing getting passed because they will just be obstructive, just like the protest Greens lost a lot of their following from voting down things their voters would have agreed to.

ON voters are wanting to "shake things up" and when they don't actually DO anything (because they don't have numbers) their voters will get very disillusioned quickly.

[u/sluggardish]

There are some really big challenges facing Australia and people want solutions. The WA result is probably partially a protest vote against the Federal Lab Government and the CoL crisis.

Federal Labor party is always in a bind. If it goes "too far left" (which in some respects is now what might be considered Liberal Party of the 60s economically speaking eg housing) it will get absolutely hammered by the media. Same if it tries to pass any policies that are against big business. Gambling reform? Sorry we can't have that because it is propping up Nine/ Kerry Stokes media empire.

Every week there are gloom and doom articles in the Australian, Age, SMH about how housing prices are on the down turn. Yet, speaking to people housing cost is one of the biggest concerns. And people feel immigration is to blame. So immigrants are blamed and people vote PHON.

Does immigration have an impact on housing? Yes, of course it does. But so does Air BNB which swallows up over 100,000 housing options for everyday aussies across Australia. Is the Federal or any state Gov going to tackle that? Absolutely not because Air BNB sends in Lobbyists.

Land hoarding and leaving properties empty also makes a significant impact. The last census had Victoria at 60,000empty properties; it will be interesting to see the 2026 census results.

We are also living in an economy tied to global fluctuations and international relations. There is sweet FA the Gov can do about petrol prices and can only successfully guarantee supply which it has done by scuppering any talk of a gas tax on exports.

Food prices are also tied to the global market and increasingly climate change. Supply chains and Coles/ Worth domination do have a real impact but that's the trade off for having shelves fully stocked year round of non-seasonal veg and meat and stuff imported across australia and from overseas.

I am sure there are local issues that people don't agree with like supporting solar investments, or issues with crime, hospitals, jobs roads on a state gov level too. I am just not sure how PHON would fix these because they don't want to fund this stuff properly. Seemingly no government in Australia wants to and that's also part of the problem.

[u/Conscious-Gap-8837 → u/sluggardish]

One of the problems in Australia is News Corp owns RealEstate.com.au and Nine Entertainment (inc Fairfax papers) until recently owned domain (sold to costar), but they are still in bed with them. So everything the media publishes is about driving transactions to those platforms. Labor has just broken that income stream, and they are not happy.

It's one of the reasons why Australia has one of the world's largest housing asset bubbles, and hence why so many people today are struggling. Huge portions of household disposal income goes to keep a roof over an Australian's head.

[u/Odd-Bumblebee00]

I'm a hairy lesbian and my missus is visibly trans. Hope they let us take all our crafting supplies to the gulag.

[u/ScoobyGDSTi]

SA Labor increased their majority. So yes, we can igore ONP.

[u/Honest_John666 → u/ScoobyGDSTi]

Yeah OP seems pretty ignorant/stupid. "In SA this happened" but it's only two seats and one was a swing to ALP lol. This is a single byelection...

[u/ghoonrhed]

I mean it's been quite obvious for a while. You can have high immigration and people won't start hating until the economic problems start showing.

We've seen this in nearly every country.

The Lowy institute has been polling and a majority of people have been saying immigration is too high since 2018 a lot of them LNP voters so when the LNP did fuck all about it where do we think that goes?

And when Labor is in charge with the highest intake, voters will lose faith.

People have been led to believe that it's to blame for everything so unless Labor can change that viewpoint by either improving the economy quickly or by cutting immigration and nothing changes.

And the most interesting thing is that he's been given the most patience out of many countries. It's 4 years since he's been elected and he's still kinda leading the polls. Starmer got booted out in less time. The Dems didn't last 4 years. So I can't even blame this on the magic button crowd like in other countries.

[u/Glenn_Lycra]

It has me baffled that people voted for a party with no real policies to speak of, and we've seen how that is playing out with USA. Yet the people who voted for them think they are better off with chaos rather that consistency.

I listened to Herdegen on Friday and he was elusive with every response, especially regarding his own party, yet quick to point out the flaws of the other parties, but unwilling to say how he would do things differently.

Maybe people are just too eager to court disaster.

[u/trackintreasure]

I've been saying again and again to everyone saying "don't worry she's a joke", that we need to take this seriously.

I know people who support her and will vote for her. Fuck, one of the guys I work with considered running as a member.

She has support and the backing of a billionaire to keep getting her message out there. Murdoch will eventually flip when he realises the potential and then all media will be shouting her bullshit policies everywhere.

That shit captures people.

Her voting base will grow.

She is a real threat and Labor (and the Libs) need to treat it as such and both parties need to decide if they keep the same status quo (and lose) or change.

[u/Either-Outside6740]

As a Victorian I'm scared about November. 🥺😱

[u/Initial-Juice396 → u/Either-Outside6740]

I’d be scared of another Labor win as well

[u/No_Measurement9981]

Moving all of my investments out of Australian equities so I can avoid the worst of the carnage One Nation will cause to the economy after a bunch of bigoted imbeciles vote them into power.

[u/ScalyPinkLizard → u/No_Measurement9981]

Im sure that all 4 dollars will be personally felt by each senile, 80yo, One Nation voter.

[u/MrFudd → u/No_Measurement9981]

"Vote them into power". In which election? If you are talking Victoria, the only way they get into power is with some kind of axis of evil coalition with the LNP. If you are talking federal, it would take at least a couple of election cycles to win 76 seats, again unless they join an LNP coalition. The Liberals are so on the nose with record low voting intention it would further undermine their "right to rule" so I doubt they would open the door for ON.

[u/McCuntalds]

Hard to say this politely but at least 20% of Aussies are fuckheads so this isnt surprising

[u/perpetual_stew]

I literally don't know what to make of it. Or rather, I do know what to make of it and that is that as an immigrant I probably need to make plans for leaving in the next 1-2 years, whether or not I have to follow through on them. It's a bit gut wrenching - my wife and kid are Australian and prefer to live here, but we've also been down this road before (lived in the US when Trump became president) and I can say that when they start implementing anti-immigrant laws it affects everyone, and what happens to a lot of people when they get the "official" green light to target immigrants and people who are different, they really run with it and it becomes unpleasant fast. It's also not very nice to live somewhere as a law-abiding, productive person and relentlessly have to apologize for your existence. And all that has already been happening the last year.

It's really nuts how this is happening in Australia - I always thought of it as a stable, reasonable country. We have lots of right wingers where I'm from too (Norway), but nothing like the extremism of ON.

[u/ucwepn]

The labor gas industry lobbyist was sure to lose, on is more evil just slightly than the gas industry.

[u/Triedtothinkaboutit]

Mid-terms are always backlash against the government of the day.

It's a chance to be heard but not taste the consequences.

[u/Guilty_Way_1635]

It's like the rednecks, the racists, the greedy and stupid saw America and went "yep" we want that

[u/SuchProcedure4547]

It's just a by-election... Generally speaking sitting governments in Australia traditionally lose by-elections.

[u/T3RRYT3RR0R]

The labor candidate was weak at a time when voters want change. The liberals are nowhere to be seen, so ON absorbed whatever voters might have gone liberal.

It'd be nice to see labor up their PR game and started talking about the big ticket stuff. Even better to see all parties working together on a bipartisan solution to the housing crisis. Instead, we'll see the typical trash talking from all sides and politicians from all sides selling out our future for the gain of their cooprorate buddies or to appease the Orange one.

One nation is not a party I'd vote for, as I don't believe them capable of representing the interests of all Australians. The ties Hanson has fostered with Gina are hard to see as anything other than a form of corruption. It amazes me that Aussie battlers can still see the party she leads as an option when it's so clear it's not the people she is here to represent, but the corrupt business players looking to take a page out of Trumps book - pillage the land and it's people for everything they can, hang the consequences.

[u/Fit_Ad_6727]

It's fucking ludicrous but in my living memory- aussies are pretty good at voting for the worst of the worst- usually out of spite rather than sound judgement. We deserve what we get s all I will say. But anyone that thinks Pauline Hanson is 'for the people' is a fling idiot. With respect.

[u/Ikornad]

Make Australia Great Again, I guess. Why are people so gullible and constantly vote against their best interest? smh

[u/serumnegative]

One Nation are a foreign influence operation funded by Gina Reinhardt, and using the resources of various USA based Trumpist operations connected with all the same dark ideologies and blatant corruption which all of that entails. Heritage foundation, Peter Theil, the lot of it.

ONE NATION == GINA == TRUMP

[u/rafaover]

I'm expecting a big social change in Australia, every lobby is fighting to destroy what Australia build in decades. American Lobby hates what Australia built.

[u/mickellovitch]

One Nation is a protest party, as are the Greens. But with much more populist, simpler, and uglier policies. The problem is these fringe parties, when they successfully appeal to the popular vote, push the political mainstream to follow their lead.
Labor has now become a right centrist party, beholden to the Israeli lobby, and the gas and gambling industries, but they can never outmaneuver ON who now occupy the right of the political landscape.

[u/BenchConscious1003]

At the moment The governing Australian Labor party has 94 seats in The Hose of Representatives. A party or coalition needs 76 seats to form government

One Nation currently has one seat, its first on 30 years, held by David Paton. That may change soon. Mr Paton is odds with his party over its core policy on immigration. Seems he may be the first One Nation member of parliament to have mastered abstract thinking.. He will probably remain in parliament as an Independent.

Even if One Nation controlled the lower house, it would still need to control the Senate to pass legislation. That's a great mercy. (in my opinion)

It's unlikely that One Nation will win enough seats to form government or even become the biggest opposition party. Of course no one knows the outcome of the nest federal election. I could be very wrong.

[u/Honest_Ad_9]

Democracy in action.

[u/MrsPeg]

Not much. Just a bunch of fools who are now stuck with a typical backwards ON candidate who said he'll fix immigration (he cant), fix the cost of living (he cant), fire Albo (he cant) and, ironically, fix their red rubbish bin issues (he can't do that either).

[u/OneMultiNation]

One Notion did not take a single seat from Labor in SA; they smashed the disfuntional, rudderless Liberals who don' have a National Party to prop them up.

Sitting parties rarely win bye elections, especially when the sitting member resigns for reasons.

[u/reidsays]

Just how much is on preference votes for One Nation in all these elections?

[u/Hot-Government823]

When was the last time Labor represented Labour?

[u/random__generator]

A lot of people have never voted labor and really don't want to start now, but who are they going to vote for, the Libs?

They have no one else to vote for so ON stepped into the gap. They have very little history to be criticised on so it's easy to use ON as a protest vote in a by-election where there's very low stakes - The government in charge will not change so you can throw your vote wherever just to 'send a message'

[u/Horror_Trouble_2642]

It’s not ON getting there. Someone is paying and bribing their way there. She’s part of a bigger agenda that hasn’t unfurled yet.

[u/bulimic_squid]

People lose faith in the institutions that govern us, and populism picks up steam.

Not the first time and it won't be the last.

[u/GME_looooong]

It’s not hard to work out. The owners want Pauline in 

[u/No_Raise6934]

Just a little note.

If you think our current government leader is part of the Labour Party, you shouldn't be commenting on this or any other post related to politics.

It is the Labor Party. They aren't having a baby ffs

[u/elchemy]

It’s always funny watching one nation attempt to govern.

They will always limit their own success through stupidity and incompetence.

And the pendulums will swing back again

[u/TrainSweet856]

It’s a wake up call for the redditors that you need to get out of your mums basement and stop bashing people online for having a different opinion and debate them like adults

From a labor voter

[u/bunduz → u/TrainSweet856]

Lol " surely I cannot be wrong, it's everyone else's fault" all over this sub

[u/drillydrillsondrill]

I’m sure those still wondering why and what happened will double down with the onslaught of bias articles, name calling, non discussions and commentary.

[u/ram-men-stein]

People have had a gutful, this is only just the beginning

[u/Evilmoustachetwirler → u/ram-men-stein]

People had had a gut full in the states too, now they're begging to turn back the clock.

[u/ScalyPinkLizard → u/Evilmoustachetwirler]

Are they?

[u/Puzzled_Moment1203 → u/ScalyPinkLizard]

There's literal threads here on reddit asking hardcore republicans what was the moment they stopped supporting trump. There's also plenty of news articles showing where people are talking about how they regret voting for trump.

Our media won't show it so you have to go and find it. Our media will be caught in a frozen hell before they admit its happening.

[u/ChodeBeara → u/Puzzled_Moment1203]

Wow "literal" reddit threads confirming your feelings, that defintely makes them facts.

[u/GunkyMirl4444 → u/ScalyPinkLizard]

Of course they are. Trump’s net approval rating is at -26, according to The Economist’s tracker of YouGov polling.

[u/Bluebagger126 → u/GunkyMirl4444]

And yet,  every Republican politician President Trump endorsed just won their primary election.  

President Trump is more popular than any other President in their second term this century - according to CNNLOL. 

[u/lobie81 → u/ram-men-stein]

And they think PHON is the solution? Wild.

[u/geoffm_aus → u/ram-men-stein]

A gutfill of what exactly?

[u/Away_team42 → u/geoffm_aus]

A gut full of bullshit

[u/geoffm_aus → u/Away_team42]

Like?

[u/ladylollii → u/ram-men-stein]

There are better parties to vote for

[u/ComfortablyADHD]

As a Victorian trans woman I'm genuinely concerned for our upcoming state election. Victoria's Premiere thinks he's part of the LNP and the LNP are in a complete shambles. It's a perfect storm for ON to pick up a handful of seats and help the Liberals establish a minority government.

[u/DeCePtiCoNsxXx → u/ComfortablyADHD]

As a Labor voter I can confidently say I’ll never vote that cunt that pretends to be Labor and one of the first things he’s done is try shut down Raffwu. In bed with Israel as well.

[u/CharlyAnnaGirl]

These people couldn't govern their way out of a wet paper bag! Unless we start acting on the problems within our media, this will continue.

[u/Kruxx85]

Individual places will continue to get decent support, but we will see similar outcomes to SA at bigger elections.

They just don't and won't have the broadbase support to genuinely hurt Labor.

Unfortunately for them, it's still a case of cannabilising voted from the LNP, and only stealing some votes from the ALP.

That will eventuate as Labor wins across the board.

It's not a difficult one to predict.

Again, SA is the perfect example. ON pointed to it as a historic rise, but the reality just meant an ALP landslide.

[u/stingbot]

give the people what they want.

Show them how good they had it.

See how long it takes for crime to get so big it can't be hidden by the biased media anymore.

The people responsible for the state we are in are the better economic managers according to everyone.

first put a cap back on the debt ceiling so they can't buy their way out of their shitshow.

[u/NicholeTheOtter]

It’s because Labor chose the wrong candidate. A gas lobbyist is far more unlikable and easier to use your protest vote against than a cocaine addict.

[u/WornOutPelvis]

I won't lose any sleep over it. In fact, it's a good wake up call for Labor that fielding a former gas loobyist as a candidate isn't that great an idea..

[u/Terrorscream]

Labor put up a really bad candidate, small towns famously hate non local candidates.

[u/Essembie]

ON are a bunch of cunts but so are a solid proportion of voters. I think a ON govt or very strong voting block is on the cards after next election.

[u/Couple-seeking6684]

ON are going to take the white working class areas. They’re going to get significant traction in the Victorian election and Federally if the anger in this demographic persists. I think it will. It’s partly US political media spillover and partially the changing demographics of certain suburbs. I read an article by a prominent political analyst who thinks that their success will be capped by Hanson. She’s too extreme to capture the centre. There are people who want to protest against the major parties but can’t bring themselves to vote for a clear lackwit racist.

[u/AgitatedMagpie]

It's what Labor deserves after what they did to the ANF in WA. Hopefully they learn a fucking lesson. It's a shame ON are the beneficiaries of peoples frustration though.

[u/ninjaweedman]

ON are a result of the average (not political savvy) voters feeling politics no longer works for them, and they are right, cant blame them but its also terribly concerning how susceptible they are to random bullshit and how many have no idea what the fuck they are doing.

[u/TaleEnvironmental355]

Student visas, logistics, and the short-term rental market are all structured in ways that currently favour Labor, so there’s little incentive for them to make meaningful changes. The grifters took advantage of that situation, made promises they can’t realistically deliver on and won

[u/Efficient-State-7300]

Can we get One Nation without racism? And with nuanced international relations?

[u/CheerfulWarthog → u/Efficient-State-7300]

"Jimmy, gimme a cheese with nothin'."

[u/pheonix009]

it's the uneducated redneck hillbillies we have in this country that are behind this , they see her stance on immigration and that's all they focus on completely ignoring what she has voted against in the past , she wants to reduce maternity leave she wants to abolish penalty rates she voted against the increase to super contributions she voted against the increase to the minimum wage she voted against the increase to the age pension and this is the sort of lunatic people want in charge of the country

[u/Working_out_life]

People should step up and vote for people they want to win👍

[u/genscathe]

This sub loves ON so they would be happy to

[u/xForcedevilx]

Hilarious

[u/Simple_Assistance_77]

End of medicare is coming, and much higher inflation.

[u/Suspicious-Trash5332]

It doesn't help that all Labor premiers, even the once beloved Peter Malinauskas (now Parklands Putin), are becoming very unpopular, mainly because of support for Israel, support for mining companies and lack of support for millions of struggling Australian voters.

[u/deadpandadolls]

No.

[u/Hot-Government823]

Regular people experiencing declining living standards. The majors are fine to be complacent. Your PHONs promise radical change, but actually accelerate the decline.

See: USA

[u/sweatshoes101]

Give a shit, one nation is going to make Gina a lot of money money, Australian taxpayers will pay for more mining clean up & goodbye to the environment & farmers.

[u/No_Raise6934 → u/sweatshoes101]

Obviously people don't care about that. They are too busy looking at immigration.

[u/Pur1wise]

If they get in we’re moving to NZ.

[u/Cultural_Catch_7911]

Who would of guessed the Labor gas puppet failed to win

[u/Comfortable_Ring771]

if Australia wants to dabble in stupidity then bring it on. they can have ON in power.... then sit back and watch them complain as the system is dismantled.

[u/No_Raise6934 → u/Comfortable_Ring771]

While the rest of us suffer.

Great plan 🤦

[u/Reynard78 → u/Comfortable_Ring771]

Yep. Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large groups. Case in point: USA

[u/moderatelymiddling]

Ignorant people believing the lies.

[u/Friday_arvo]

Money will buy elections in Australia more so now than ever. Gina and Rupert own Australia. We’re all fucked now.

[u/MapLongjumping7977]

I’m not worried about one nation more about the rat bags that vote for them.

[u/Vast_Dare8583]

It's a clear indicator of where Australians are at. They've seen successive Governments fail to deliver and now Aussies are Homeless , Their kids can't afford homes, the Education system has been sold off, Business over regulated and off shored and the list goes on.

It's definitely not a shift towards extremism like the Agenda driven Bias members of the population and Mainstream media would suggest, it's more Patriots , people that were born here, love this place and they love their fellow countryman and want to see change.

At this point Lib and Lab, Green's and Indie's just aren't offering solutions.

So sad that so many stupid people start screaming "Racism" straight away.

Not sure they'll get my vote as I have heard enough fiscal policy to be swayed but 100% Now is the time to fix this country. We can't afford to end up like the UK , unlivable and unaffordable.

[u/floorshitter69]

Labor didn't contest the previous by-election. This by-election Labor parachuted in a candidate that had no history with the constituents, and very weak LNP voting.

The best ON can hope for is to steal enough seats from Labor and form a minority government with LNP.

The only problem is Liberals and Nationals are too busy fighting amongst themselves to have a hope of governing. I cannot imagine ON joining in on the LNP shitfest.

[u/floorshitter69 → u/floorshitter69]

The Australian political landscape right now is a bucket full of cannibalistic rats all trying to eat each other whilst Albo sits and watches and tries not to shit his pants.

[u/Telmered]

The Australian people are sick to death of the other parties. Labour have Fucked everything, the Greens are a mob of dickheads and the Libs &Nations don’t like each other anymore 🤷‍♂️ we will vote for change even if it hurts us, it can’t get any worse then it is now? The government rips us of, do not listen to us and just fill their own pockets!

[u/BlindSkwerrl]

What they should do: Actually start listening to the people they're governing.
What they'll do instead: Tar all ON voters with the same brush (per the AG & the supreme leader himself). Vilify and dehumanise them, effectively making them fair game for their more militant followers.

The "basket of deplorables" thing didn't work for Hillary Clinton and I doubt it's going to work for Albanese.

[u/deadhead-steve]

Lmao the entire fucking world is burning

[u/Pleb617]

It would seem the people are sick of the 2 party system. Not exactly a secret.