A heated and explosive on-air confrontation unfolded on Channel Seven's Sunrise program on Monday morning, following the release of dramatic new polling data that shows One Nation has surged ahead of the former Coalition. The poll reveals One Nation's support has jumped nine points to reach 26 per cent, overtaking the Coalition which now sits at 19 per cent.
Tense Exchange Over Economic Management and Energy
One Nation's Barnaby Joyce and Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek repeatedly clashed during the tense and often chaotic exchange, trading sharp blows over economic management, energy policy, and the growing political momentum of One Nation. The debate comes as One Nation teases what it calls a "significant" announcement expected on Tuesday, amid widespread speculation about a major recruitment drive and possible defections to the party.
Joyce Refuses to Reveal Details of Upcoming Announcement
Sunrise host Nat Barr pressed Joyce repeatedly during the segment to reveal some details about Tuesday's anticipated announcement, but the One Nation figure remained steadfast in his refusal to budge. "Well, it wouldn't be a big announcement if I made an announcement today, would it?" Joyce said when questioned about whether defections were coming and how many might be involved.
"You only have to wait 24 hours. Get me back on tomorrow," he added, creating further anticipation. When pressed specifically about whether there would be more than one defection, Joyce again shut down the line of questioning completely. "I'm not going to say that," he stated firmly. "Look, I'll give you a scoop, it's not Bridget McKenzie," Joyce added, referencing the former Nationals deputy leader.
Plibersek Launches Scathing Attack on Opposition
The argument escalated significantly when Plibersek turned her focus directly on the opposition, declaring in no uncertain terms that "it just looks like the Liberals and Nationals are a bin fire." She expressed deep disappointment for Australian voters, stating "It's really disappointing for Australians. They don't know who their leader is going to be one week to the next."
Plibersek urged both voters and journalists to demand real substance from One Nation as its support continues to rise dramatically in the polls. "It's all very well to go around as a party of grievance and complain about things, point out things that you feel are wrong. They need to get out there with some detailed policies if they really want to be tested in the way the major parties are," she argued passionately.
Joyce Fires Back Over Economic Concerns
Joyce fired back immediately, accusing the Labor government of giving One Nation "so much material to protest about" through its economic management. "You've got inflation going through. I think we're the record in inflation in the Western world. We've got interest rates will go up. We've got power prices about to go up," Joyce declared, pointing to what he sees as fundamental economic failures.
The clash quickly descended into further chaos as the pair sparred intensely over economic responsibility, with Plibersek claiming that One Nation had "a list of grievances and no solutions." Joyce shot back: "Tanya, you give us so much material, it's so easy to be a grievance party when you give us so much to complain about."
Energy Policy Becomes Central Battleground
Joyce rejected claims that his party lacked concrete solutions, arguing that the television segment simply did not allow enough time to explain them properly. He pointed specifically to a return to coal-fired power and cost-of-living relief as key priorities for One Nation, directly blaming current inflation pressures on Labor's push for renewable energy.
"They're trying to do ridiculous things such as run a power grid on wind turbines and solar panels," Joyce argued. "The price of energy is core to the cost of living and core to inflation. You have to move away from this fantasy land and move back to what is proven, such as coal-fired power, remove the subsidies so you get an honest market."
Plibersek hit back immediately, questioning where new coal-fired power stations would actually be built and who would build them. Joyce did not answer the question directly, instead accusing Plibersek of talking over people and avoiding answers herself. "Pot kettle black," Plibersek responded sharply.
Economic Management Debate Intensifies
With inflation moving in the opposite direction to many other westernised nations and a potential interest rate rise looming on Tuesday, tensions continued to flare between the two political figures. "What helps is economic management; we inherited inflation at over 6 per cent," Plibersek said, before being cut off abruptly by Joyce.
"Oh no, it's the previous government again... what's your plan, Tanya?" Joyce interjected forcefully. Plibersek responded: "We are helping with the cost of living in every way we can. We've lowered taxes, we've increased wages, we've got cheaper childcare, we've got cheaper medicines, we've got cheaper wholesale electricity prices."
"You're not doing a very good job, are you?" Joyce interjected again. "You're not building the balance sheet to pay for it. Your debt is racing through the roof, all you're doing is coming up with ways to spend money." Plibersek hit back immediately: "I'll be waiting for your alternative budget. All you're doing is whinging." Joyce replied simply: "You give us a lot to whinge about."
Poll Results Place Pressure on Major Parties
Joyce said the poll results would ultimately place significant pressure on the Liberals following the Coalition's latest split. "I think it puts a lot of pressure on it, ultimately. And it's just going to be ridiculous," he stated. "It's going to look like a fiasco. It's not good; they should not have split the coalition. You try to make a marriage work, you don't just jump out of it unless it's completely and utterly without hope."
Despite One Nation's surge, Labor still leads the polls at present with 34 per cent of respondents saying it was their preferred party. However, Joyce described this position as weak, saying it represented "a very bad poll for the Labor Party" given the broader political context and shifting voter sentiments.
