Pauline Hanson's One Nation has appointed Army veteran Warren Pickering as its leader in Victoria and announced a preliminary list of candidates for the state election scheduled for November. Pickering, 43, who previously resigned from his job over COVID-19 policies, is expected to join federal leader Pauline Hanson in Melbourne to officially introduce the lead candidates for the upper house in each region.
Hanson expressed confidence in Pickering's ability to lead the team, stating he has been an "effective leader" and has done "a great job as state president of One Nation in Victoria." Pickering's team includes Shepparton-based MP Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, the first One Nation member elected to the Victorian parliament in 2022, and education expert Colleen Harkin, who defected from the Liberal Party.
Other candidates announced include animator and company director Mark Nicholson, lawyer Aaron Sanford, office manager Natalie Adams, Geelong councillor Chris Burson, and human resources manager Fiona Lopez. Senator Hanson indicated that more candidates would be announced soon and that One Nation intends to "run candidates in every seat at this election."
Hanson stated that the party's platform will focus on addressing issues such as "out of control" violent crime, union corruption, and Victoria's housing crisis, aiming to "restore Victoria and kicking out the tired and toxic Labor government."
In a notable move, Hanson banned ABC and The Guardian reporters from her press conference announcing the new leader. The announcement comes as political analysts and Labor figures have raised the possibility of Victoria potentially having its first minority government that includes One Nation.
Recent federal polling suggests a rise in support for One Nation nationally, with one poll indicating 31 percent. However, state-level polling in Victoria shows One Nation trailing behind the coalition and Labor, with a Newspoll placing the party at 19 percent support.