Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has drawn criticism for his response to One Nation's significant victory in Western Australia's Secret Harbour by-election. Following the party's first lower house seat win in the state, Albanese addressed the Queensland Labor conference, warning that "hard right populists are on the march" and identifying Pauline Hanson's party as a growing political threat.
"Parties like One Nation have no serious answers to our problems," Albanese stated. "They'll say anything and do anything to win votes. Bend any facts. Peddle misinformation and disinformation. Turn Australian against Australian."
The by-election result saw One Nation candidate Luke Herdegen defeat Labor's Georgia Tree in Secret Harbour, a seat previously considered safe Labor territory. The win was marked by an 18 percent swing to One Nation, securing approximately 57 percent of the two-candidate-preferred vote, compared to Labor's 43 percent. Labor's primary vote dropped by 22 percent to 24 percent, while One Nation's surged to 39 percent, a substantial increase from its nine percent in the 2025 state election.
Albanese emphasized that he and the Labor party "owe it to history" to defeat such parties and asserted that "we simply must defeat them." He also highlighted Labor's support for multiculturalism, stating, "We unequivocally support multiculturalism because we know it's part of Australia's strength. And because we believe every Australian is equal, whether they are Australian by birth or Australian by choice."
The Prime Minister also addressed comments attributed to Pauline Hanson, suggesting they reflected a view that "Australians are lazy and overpaid," that "people working from home are bludging," that "domestic violence is sometimes a woman's fault," and that Australia should "somehow become a monoculture." He also questioned the viability of any alliance between the Liberal National Party and One Nation, asserting that "the only mainstream political force in Australia that seeks to govern in the interests of the Australian people in their own right is the Australian Labor Party."
However, Albanese's remarks generated a critical response online. Some commentators suggested he failed to grasp the reasons behind voters' increasing support for One Nation. One social media user questioned whether Albanese had "changed his position on seeing One Nation as a threat," referencing the government's shift on negative gearing and capital gains tax policies. Another commenter stated, "The rise of One Nation is because of Labor." A third user accused the Prime Minister of targeting voters rather than political opponents, writing, "Political parties only exist because of voters. This sounds like an attack on ordinary Aussies exercising their democratic vote."
Other online reactions dismissed Labor's cost-of-living relief promises. The Secret Harbour result represents a significant political setback for Labor since its federal election victory last year. While Albanese's speech touched on Labor's record in areas such as Medicare, wages, housing, and education, his strongest message was directed at One Nation.