Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson has firmly walked back his previous comments suggesting he would be open to a coalition with One Nation, declaring he would “never, ever, ever” support such an arrangement. The Liberal frontbencher made the clarification on Monday, a day after he raised the possibility of forming government with Pauline Hanson’s rightwing populist party.
Wilson’s Change of Stance
Speaking to the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Wilson had said, “Of course, we traditionally form a coalition with the National party but it’s up to the Australian people to decide who they want to vote for. It all comes down to what Australians put up.” However, when questioned about those remarks on Monday, Wilson rejected any rightwing alliance outright.
“I have never, ever, ever, and never, ever, ever will make such a statement in favour of such an alignment,” he stated emphatically. “The reality is, the leader of that party [Pauline Hanson] has already declared that she won’t form a coalition with us, and I have no interest in forming a coalition with them.”
Senior Liberals Reject Partnership
Wilson joined other senior Liberal figures in dismissing any partnership with One Nation. Shadow foreign affairs minister Ted O’Brien also rejected the idea, saying, “We have no plans for going into a coalition with One Nation.” Meanwhile, Barnaby Joyce, the former Nationals MP who switched to One Nation, said his party would offer confidence to the Coalition in parliament but ruled out a formal alliance. “We’ll offer supply and confidence on policy outcomes … and that is not a coalition. We don’t want your ministries, keep your ministries and your salaries,” Joyce told Channel Nine.
Context of One Nation’s Rise
The controversy comes after One Nation’s resounding victory in the Farrer byelection, where it easily won a seat held for 77 years by the Coalition, reducing the Liberals to just 12% of the primary vote. This has sharpened focus on how the Coalition, led by Angus Taylor, will counter threats from both the right and left. Wilson accused One Nation of “hubris” in targeting seats in western Sydney and major cities but conceded that many voters are frustrated with the political status quo.
“People are faced with choices about how they bring about change, and they’re sending a message very clearly to the government,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of work to do, and no one’s pretending otherwise, and that’s why we’re going to put forward a bold, confident vision for the future of the country, backed up with policy to back the self-starters of this nation, to back small businesses, to back families and to back communities. And we have to get on with that.”
Labor’s Response
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been cautious in criticizing One Nation voters, instead focusing on Hanson’s lack of tangible outcomes. “Quite clearly there’s a lot of people under financial pressure who feel like the system isn’t working for them,” Albanese told ABC Radio National. “And that’s a message for all political parties in the system. I respect people’s right to vote whatever way they determine. But One Nation, of course, is not a party of government. They are a political party led by someone who’s promoted grievance rather than solutions.”
