Source : Perth Now news
Pauline Hanson accuses Labor of being “scared” by One Nation, which she says has delivered Anthony Albanese a “wake up call” with its “Fire The Liar” campaign.
More than 60,000 people have donated at least $3m to the campaign over a matter of days, according to One Nation, which has surged in the opinion polls this year.
Senator Hanson has pledged to use the funds on helicopter flying banners targeting the Prime Minister during the second State of Origin clash at the MCG on Wednesday.
Arriving in Sydney on Monday, the One Nation leader reiterated her intent to “be signing candidates in every lower house seat and the Senate across this nation, as we have done previously”.
“Labor are scared,” she said.
“The Prime Minister has had a wake up call, especially with Fire the Liar fund that we put out.
“You’ve had over 60,000 Australians that have donated to that fund.
“These are people that possibly can least afford it, but they want to get rid of this Albanese Labor government, and they’re supporting our fight to do that.”
Senator Hanson, who according to a new Resolve poll on Monday was now preferred prime minister, also defended the slow drip of her party’s policy announcements.
“I’m slowly bringing out our policies which we have done, unlike the major political parties who will only let you see their policies only a matter of weeks before the election,” she said.
“I’m giving people a chance to actually absorb, understand what we’re doing.”
Senator Hanson said One Nation had brought out “a lot of our policies” prior to the last election, including around veterans and the aged pension.
Not ‘worried’
Earlier, Barnaby Joyce batted away concerns he could be boxed out of a leadership role in One Nation after Senator Hanson suggested her daughter, Lee, would be next in line to take the helm of the populist party.
Senator Hanson told a Swan Chamber of Commerce event in Perth last week her daughter would stand for the Senate at the next election, describing her as a “great asset”.
“What I’m trying to do, what I’m trying to achieve, you need the right people around you to drive it … I wouldn’t have my sons anywhere near it, but my daughter, she’s different,” Senator Hanson said.
But on Monday, Mr Joyce brushed off concerns about his future with the party, saying: “(It) doesn’t worry me, honestly.
“Honestly, I’m here for the philosophical change for Australia … I’m really happy in the dynamic change that’s coming in the whole political discussion at the moment,” the New England MP told Seven’s Sunrise.
“And I never get ahead of myself because, you know, hubris is the biggest issue.
“You’ve got to be really, really careful of it. You’ve just got to concentrate on now … and down the track at an election, it will not be the same as polling today, whatever it is, better or worse, it’ll be different, and I just focus on the here and now.”
Senator Hanson’s comments about her daughter came days before The Sydney Morning Herald’s Resolve Political Monitor found the One Nation leader had outpaced Mr Albanese as Australia’s most preferred prime minister.
Surveying 1801 voters from June 8-13, the poll showed 33 per cent of participants nominated Senator Hanson as their preferred prime minister, giving her a four percentage point lead over Mr Albanese.
The modelling showed One Nation held 29 per cent of the primary vote, while Labor and the Coalition held 28 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.
Senator Hanson has previously expressed ambitions to lead the country as prime minister, telling Sky News earlier this month she had the “ability” to do the job.
While currently serving in the Senate, the populist leader has confirmed she is weighing up a lower-house run at the next federal election.
The office of the prime minister is filled by the leader of the party with the most seats won in the House of Representatives.
