Former prime minister John Howard has criticised One Nation as the minor party experiences a significant surge in support, coinciding with a sharp decline in backing for the Liberal Party.
A recent poll placed support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation at 26 per cent, more than four times its level at last year’s election.
In an exclusive interview with The Advertiser, Howard described One Nation as “a grievance vehicle” rather than a “serious political movement”.
He also criticised former Liberal colleague Cory Bernardi following his defection to One Nation, saying he was “desperate for recognition”.
“I don’t think, to use the vernacular, he’s going to trouble the scorers,” Howard said.
Howard said Bernardi, a former Liberal senator and state president, had previously attempted to capitalise on voter support when he founded the Australian Conservatives in 2017, but had fallen “on his face”.
“I’ve got nothing against him,” he said. “He was a pleasant man to deal with but, mate, this is the behaviour of somebody who’s desperate for recognition, not somebody who wants to seriously contribute to policy.”
Howard’s comments come as One Nation leader Pauline Hanson downplayed speculation about becoming prime minister, instead emphasising her broader focus on “what’s right” for Australians.
Speaking to Sky News host Andrew Bolt, Senator Hanson was asked whether she would consider contesting a lower house seat, a requirement for any prime ministerial candidate, should One Nation win government.
A Prime Minister can only sit in the House of Representatives, and not the Senate.
“I have options which I can look at over the next couple of years, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be me,” Hanson said.
“My sights haven’t been purely to be Prime Minister, I haven’t got an ego that big.
“My aim is to get what’s right for the country and if it’s not me then I’ll ensure that we do have the right person to fill that position.”
Hanson said it remained uncertain whether One Nation could secure government at the next election and insisted it was up to Australians.
“Am I saying One Nation can be in government at the next election? I don’t know. That’s up to the people of Australia where they cast their vote,” she said.
One Nation’s newest recruits have previously been publicly critical of party leader Pauline Hanson, with Barnaby Joyce once describing her ideas as “bat poo crazy” and Cory Bernardi urging her to dismiss senior party figures.
Both Joyce and Bernardi joined One Nation following decades-long careers in conservative politics, representing the Nationals and Liberals respectively.
Since joining the party, both men have expressed strong support for Senator Hanson.
In November, Joyce said, “I have great respect for the work that Pauline has done – she has driven the political agenda.”
However, his past remarks haven’t been so flattering.
Seven years ago, Senator Hanson proposed that Islam was a “disease” Australians needed to be vaccinated against.
The comments drew widespread condemnation from politicians and were also strongly criticised by Joyce, who was serving as deputy prime minister at the time.
“This kind of stuff does not help anybody,” Joyce said.
“It was just stupid, it was plain dumb … and statements like that … the worst insults you could ever have in politics – they are not helpful.”
Earlier that same month, Joyce also warned that Australia would “go down the toilet” if it was governed by One Nation.
Bernardi, who will run for the South Australian Legislative Assembly under the One Nation banner, also bagged Hanson in the past.
In 2019, he said the One Nation leader needed to give senior party officials “the flick”.
His comments followed an Al Jazeera investigation which alleged party members were seeking millions of dollars in donations from the United States gun lobby.
Senator Hanson hit back at Bernardi following a dispute over baby formula exports, a year after his remarks.
“I’m glad you’re out of parliament, you wouldn’t have a bloody clue,” Senator Hanson said to Bernardi at the time, referencing his departure from the Liberal Party in 2017.
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