One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has delivered a brutal smackdown to shadow treasurer Tim Wilson after he publicly declared he would “never, ever” support forming a coalition with her party.
In an interview with The Briefing podcast on Tuesday, the One Nation leader declared her party was ready to “go for government” rather than “play the tail on the dog” and “prop up the Coalition”.
She also had a message for Wilson.
“I tell you what, Tim Wilson is only there in his seat because of One Nation’s preferences,” Hanson said.
“That’s the sheer arrogance I’m talking about ... I tell Tim Wilson, I’ll never, ever, ever consider giving you preference again at the next election.”
Fresh off the back of One Nation’s resounding win in the Farrer byelection at the weekend, her comments come amid renewed speculation on the direction of the floundering Liberal Party.
Wilson, a moderate Liberal, appeared to entertain the possibility of an alliance with One Nation in an interview with the ABC on Sunday — but then walked back his comments the following day.
Along with other senior members of his party, he said he would “never, ever, ever” support an alliance with One Nation.
The change in tack sparked a furious response from Hanson.
“One Nation is going to go for government,” she said.
“I’m not going to keep playing the tail on the dog and thinking that I need to be there to prop up the Coalition government.
“I’m going to prove to the people that we have the policies to pull this country out of the mess, to pay down our debt, to make people prosperous, to get the younger generation (to have) pride in our nation, who we are as a people, as a country, and give them, you know, hope for the future.”
Hanson said the Liberals needed to “change their attitude” towards One Nation.
“They’re not prepared,” she said.
“I’m not the enemy. If you really are conservative, really care about this country, the one that’s done the most damage is the Labor, Greens, Teals.”
She also doubled down on One Nation’s hardline migration policy.
Asked by The Briefing’s host Natarsha Belling how she planned to secure the migrant vote in crucial seats of Western Sydney, she claimed to already have significant support from first generation Australians concerned by overpopulation.
“The support from One Nation is coming from a lot of the migrants that are here in the country,” she said.
“Why do you think they left their countries to come here? They want that better way of life.”
One Nation’s win at the weekend was significant, with its recent high polling results translating into votes. The seat had been held by the Coalition for 77 years.
