A new AFR/Redbridge Group/Accent Research survey has put Pauline Hanson’s One Nation back at the top of Australian party politics, with the party regaining the narrow lead it first seized in May after the federal budget.
Published by The Australian Financial Review on Sunday, the monthly poll points to a modest recovery for the right-wing populist party after last month’s decline, which came as Hanson’s remarks on multiculturalism dominated the national conversation.
One Nation’s primary vote was measured at 31, up two points, while Labor slipped one point to 29. Even though both shifts sit within the survey’s 3.3 per cent margin of error, the result still places Hanson’s party just ahead.
The Coalition also improved its position, rising four points to 22. The Greens moved in the opposite direction, shedding four points to sit on 10 per cent of the primary vote.
Anthony Albanese continues to lead as preferred prime minister with 32 per cent, though his advantage over Hanson has narrowed. What had been a 10-point gap is now eight.
On personal standings, Angus Taylor’s net favorability rating rose three points to minus 6. Hanson’s figure stayed at minus 10, while Albanese fell one point to minus 19.
The research was conducted from Monday to Thursday last week and surveyed 1001 voters.
Redbridge director Tony Barry said the mood now appeared closer to the period immediately following the federal budget.
“After losing some vote share following Pauline Hanson’s speech to the National Press Club, One Nation’s support has returned to its previous high level, indicating that for their base, grievance mobilises more reliably than policy,” he said.
“Labor continues to lose positioning on issues performance measures, which complicates their pathway back to their election primary vote of 34.5 per cent.
“Voters will only forgive you for breaking a promise if you are eventually proven right.”
Hanson has also been under renewed criticism this month. She was accused of victim-blaming after saying domestic violence is a “two-way street”.
Questions were also raised about her ties to Gina Rinehart after Hanson revealed the mining billionaire had paid for flights during a recent Europe trip. The pair were at an exclusive Dolce & Gabbana fashion show in Sicily.
The latest Resolve Political Monitor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, released earlier this month, had shown One Nation slipping for the first time in months to 26 per cent of the primary vote, which returned Labor to a narrow lead at 28 per cent.
