Treasurer Jim Chalmers has characterized the threat posed by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party in Queensland as a deeply personal challenge for himself and Labor MPs across the state. Addressing delegates at the Queensland state Australian Labor Party (ALP) conference in Brisbane, Chalmers emphasized his commitment to contesting One Nation’s rising support and highlighted the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s strong backing for his approach.
Chalmers, who represents the Logan seat of Rankin, acknowledged the ongoing difficulties within the government surrounding proposed budget tax reforms but praised Albanese’s leadership and the confidence he places in his cabinet. “When you’re the Treasurer, you can only make these big changes and take on these big reforms if you have the enthusiastic support of your prime minister,” Chalmers said.
Despite Labor’s recent defeat at a by-election in Western Australia, Chalmers reassured Queensland colleagues that the federal caucus fully recognises the seriousness of One Nation’s challenge in the state. “Every one of your elected representatives understands this threat and knows what’s at stake,” he said, describing the issue as “local” and “existential” for working people.
Polling data underscores the concerns within Labor ranks, with One Nation holding 32 percent primary support in Queensland as of the most recent quarterly Newspoll (April to June), surpassing the ALP’s 30 percent and the Coalition’s 22 percent in the state. Meanwhile, the Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP), led by David Crisafulli, enjoys strong polling relative to the federal Coalition, which remains at historically low levels.
Queensland Labor figures, including Senator Murray Watt, have been working on strategies to counteract One Nation’s appeal. Watt has advocated for a campaign focused on exposing the minor party’s voting history and policy positions rather than engaging in negative or personal attacks on Hanson.
At the conference, Chalmers framed the political division in Queensland not as a left-versus-right split, but as a contest between those seeking to address the public’s economic grievances and those who exploit those frustrations for political gain. Albanese, appearing later at the event, echoed this sentiment, accusing One Nation of spreading misinformation, though he declined to comment publicly on the recent WA by-election outcome.
Labor officials expressed concern that One Nation’s core support threatens outer-suburban seats around Brisbane, while some speculate that an alliance between the state’s moderate LNP and One Nation could siphon votes away from Labor. Queensland state Labor secretary Ben Driscoll highlighted a broader shift toward right-wing conservatism across the country, warning that it was “reshaping the political landscape.”
One Nation’s influence in Queensland is not new: the party won 11 seats through preference deals with the former Liberal-National Coalition in the 1998 state election, although all those MPs had left or lost endorsement by the end of that term.
Looking ahead to the 2028 state election, Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles forecast a possible alliance between the LNP and One Nation, portraying it as a significant threat to Labor. “If you think they’re bad now, imagine what they would be like in coalition with One Nation,” Miles said. “The next election will be a fight between Labor and a far-right coalition of the LNP and far-right agenda.”
Labor’s position in regional Queensland remains fragile following the 2024 election, in which it retained only three seats outside the metropolitan areas, underscoring the challenges the party faces in combating both the LNP and One Nation’s growing presence.