Australian treasurer urges progressives not to dismiss One Nation voters
Jim Chalmers calls for respectful engagement with supporters of the far-right party rather than mockery or condescension.
At a glance
- Chalmers criticised One Nation as economically incompetent but urged respectful engagement with its supporters
- He warned that mocking or dismissing One Nation voters strengthens the party's divisive strategy
- Chalmers acknowledged that emotional appeals often outweigh factual arguments in politics
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has urged progressive voters and politicians to avoid mocking, cancelling or talking down to supporters of One Nation, the far-right political party led by Pauline Hanson. Speaking at the Bernie Fraser oration in Canberra, Chalmers said progressives should engage respectfully with those attracted to One Nation's message, even as he criticised the party itself as "inexperienced, incompetent and incapable of managing the economy or our international reputation".
Chalmers argued that One Nation's strategy relies on division and nostalgia, and that while facts are important, emotional appeals often prove more persuasive. He suggested that condescension plays into the far-right's hands and that progressives should instead focus on substantive counter-arguments to One Nation's core messaging.
Why it matters
One Nation has grown as a political force in Australia; Chalmers' comments reflect broader debate among progressives about how to counter far-right movements.
Original reporting
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