Pauline Hanson has hit back at Anthony Albanese after he attacked One Nation and accused them of dividing the country following the party’s historic win in Western Australia’s Secret Harbour by-election.

Addressing the Queensland Labor conference on Sunday, the Prime Minister warned that ‘hard right populists are on the march’ and singled out Hanson’s party as a growing political threat, declaring that Labor had a responsibility to defeat them.

‘Parties like One Nation have no serious answers to our problems,’ Albanese said.

‘They’ll say anything and do anything to win votes. Bend any facts. Peddle misinformation and disinformation. Turn Australian against Australian.

‘Across the world, hard right populists are on the march.

‘We simply must defeat them. We owe it to history. And we will defeat them.

‘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.’

Pauline Hanson has hit back at Anthony Albanese after he attacked One Nation and accused them of dividing the country following the party’s historic win in Western Australia’s Secret Harbour by-election 

Hanson snapped back at the comments on Monday morning and accused Albanese of crossing the line

The Prime Minister also took aim at some of the offhand comments made by Hanson.

‘They think Australians are lazy and overpaid,’ he said.

‘That people working from home are bludging. That domestic violence is sometimes a woman’s fault. That we should somehow become a monoculture.’

Hanson snapped back at the comments on Monday morning and accused Albanese of crossing the line and inciting political violence. 

‘No matter how worried Jim and Albanese are about losing their jobs, telling Australians that their democratically elected opponents are “dangerous” and a “threat to our country” invites people to treat them as a threat.

‘Words have consequences. That is how political violence is incited. The murder of Ann Widdecombe in Britain should be warning enough about the dangers of poisonous political rhetoric.’

Hanson was commenting on the July murder of veteran British politician Widdecombe, who was found dead in her home after suffering severe blunt-force trauma. 

‘Anthony Albanese says we need to turn down the heat and violent rhetoric in our political discourse,’ Hanson said.

Labor lost to One Nation at a WA by-election in Perth’s south over the weekend (pictured is winner Luke Herdegen)

Albanese acknowledged the rising popularity of One Nation (pictured is One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and MP Barnaby Joyce)

‘Meanwhile, he and his Treasurer are pouring petrol all over it. Australians are entitled to vote for One Nation without being told by the Treasurer and the Prime Minister that their democratic choice is a danger to the nation.

‘The real danger is that Jim and Albanese’s incompetent economic management will continue to push your rent, your mortgage and your bills even higher.

‘The real danger to Jim and Albanese is that the people of Australia are coming for their government… at the ballot box.’

The comments come a day after One Nation secured its first lower house seat in Western Australia, with candidate Luke Herdegen defeating Labor’s Georgia Tree in Secret Harbour.

The result is a major upset, with One Nation taking a seat long considered safe Labor territory, after an 18 per cent swing to the party and a two-candidate-preferred result of roughly 57 per cent to Labor’s 43 per cent.

Labor’s primary vote crashed by 22 per cent to just 24 per cent, while One Nation recorded a primary of 39 per cent – having managed only nine per cent at the 2025 WA state election in the seat.

The result comes as the latest Newspoll conducted by Pyxis Polling & Insights has revealed that primary support for Hanson’s party has risen to 30 per cent, narrowly ahead of Labor on 29 per cent and the Coalition on 19 per cent.

However, Albanese remains the preferred Prime Minister on 46 per cent, well ahead of Hanson on 31 per cent and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor on 23 per cent.

Primary support for Pauline Hanson’s party has risen to 30 per cent, narrowly ahead of Labor

Anthony Albanese remains the preferred Prime Minister on 46 per cent

Almost 1,250 voters were surveyed last week for the poll, before One Nation’s victory in the the Secret Harbour by-election.

Hanson’s personal rating is also on the rise, with 47 per cent of voters satisfied with her performance and 48 per cent dissatisfied.

Albanese remains far less popular, with 38 per cent of voters satisfied with the job he is doing and 59 per cent dissatisfied.

Meanwhile, in a separate Redbridge Group/Accent Research poll, One Nation’s primary vote dropped three points to 28 per cent, trailing Labor by one point.

One Nation will now set its sights on the coming Victorian and NSW state elections.

Some Labor sources are becoming increasingly concerned about One Nation.

‘The more representation they get, the more they become part of the system,’ a senior party source told The Australian.

On Sunrise on Monday morning, Labor MP Tanya Plibersek hit back at claims Western Australia’s shock by-election result was driven by federal issues, as she clashed with One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce and host Nat Barr.

Anthony Albanese spent Sunday defending housing taxes at the Queensland ALP conference

On Sunrise on Monday morning, Labor MP Tanya Plibersek hit back at claims Western Australia’s shock by-election result was driven by federal issues, as she clashed with Barnaby Joyce over immigration and Labor’s record

‘To your point that this was run on state issues, the new member ran part of it on federal issues, particularly immigration,’ Barr said.

‘He said the Albanese government’s immigration management had intensified the housing problem and the cost-of-living crisis – so he was running this on federal issues.’

Plibersek insisted the Albanese government was already taking action to reduce immigration.

‘We’re actually doing it. Barnaby and his mob – you get three of them in a room, they’ve got three different numbers on what they’re trying to do.

‘We’re actually doing the work to bring immigration down. They’re the people who voted against us when we tried to put a cap on student numbers.’

Barr then pointed to polling showing Labor and One Nation neck-and-neck, while One Nation held a significant advantage when voters were asked which party was best placed to handle immigration.

‘Tanya, just let me talk to you, because it feels like there’s a discrepancy between what you’re saying, what you say you’re doing and the messaging in the polls today,’ Barr said.

‘You and One Nation are neck and neck – but when you dive deeper, the party best able to handle the key issue, the rate of immigration, One Nation is at 39 per cent and you guys are at 19 per cent.

‘So whatever you’re saying, it doesn’t sound like it’s cutting through. Tanya, what’s the problem?’

Plibersek responded by taking aim at One Nation’s immigration policy.

‘It’s kind of comical because they had their party executive admitting that they don’t have a clear policy. And yesterday Barnaby, on the TV, wouldn’t give a number again.’

Joyce interrupted and accused Plibersek of being a liar.

Plibersek said Labor needed to do a better job of communicating the changes it had made.

‘Oh, I think we need to keep making sure that Australians know that we are the ones who are actually delivering real change in this country.

‘And, of course, a big part of the job is making the changes. Another part of the job is making sure people understand the changes.’

Joyce interjected again and accused her of being a liar.

‘Even what you call your party is a lie. There are no labourers in the Labor Party. There are no labourers in the Labor Party, namely the blue-collar labourers on your frontbench,’ he said.

Plibersek hit back: ‘We’ve got plenty of people in the Labor Party with very diverse backgrounds.’