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One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says a preference deal is yet to be struck with WA’s Liberal party ahead of the upcoming Secret Harbour byelection, but vowed to put both the Greens and Labor last.
Speaking after her appearance at a business breakfast hosted by The West Australian, the federal senator said she hoped to work with the Liberals and Nationals to take the seat from Labor.
“This will be a test case, the same as when we won seven seats in the South Australian parliament,” Hanson said.
“A deal has not been struck, but we will be putting Labor last and the Greens second last.”
The Queensland senator also dubbed Gina Rinehart “a wonderful West Australian” while defending the billionaire mining heiress’ support for One Nation.
Hanson has received criticism from opposing political parties and the media after Rinehart provided significant support for the Queenslander, including an airplane, and as photos emerged of the pair holidaying in Europe.
“Look at those taxes, royalties, and jobs that she provides the state,” Hanson told the audience after the Hancock Prospecting boss was brought up by West Australian editor Chris Dore at the breakfast event.
“It didn’t cost the taxpayer one cent for my trip overseas. Not one cent.
“You think that she’s come with a silver spoon. She didn’t.
“She had to borrow everything and was flat out in the very start to pay the bills. She’s built up that company.
“A very smart, clever woman. And even now, to this day, who supports the [Royal] Flying Doctor Service. Who supports the Olympic swimmers and the lobbyists.
“She’s a very proud, patriotic Australian, and she sees the same in me.”
Hanson also used her appearance to highlight the important role WA played in the nation’s economy while also addressing the continued housing crisis in the state.
She said WA was being held back by the federal government.
“Western Australia helps to pay this nation’s bills. Your royalties fund the services here,” she said.
“Your taxes fund them everywhere else. Western Australia is home to roughly one in nine Australians, but generates one in $6 of national economic output.
“Western Australia generates almost one in $5 of national business investment. It generates almost half of the country’s exported goods.
“But your businesses are being held back by this government.”
Hanson pointed to Perth’s rental vacancy rate of 0.6 per cent – the tightest capital city in the country after Darwin – and blamed the federal government’s migration policy for the increase.
“Families with nowhere to live in the richest state in the nation. And let me tell you why there’s nowhere to live, it’s not a mystery,” she said.
“Last year, this country’s population grew by more than 400,000 people. In the same year, we finished about 173,000 homes, nearly 2½ people for every new home, and it’s not slowing down.
“In just four years, this government will have added almost 1.6 million people through net overseas migration. Nearly one million arrived in 2022 and 2023 alone.
“This government is running the biggest migration program in our history, and building nowhere near the homes to match it. Then it acts surprised when your kids can’t afford a house and services are overwhelmed.
“That’s not compassion. That’s negligence.”
More to come.
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