Hanson positions herself as de facto opposition leader at CPAC
IN SHORTPauline Hanson, leader of Australia's One Nation party, effectively positioned herself as the de facto opposition leader at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane. Liberal leader Angus Taylor, despite being a sitting leader, struggled to gain traction with the conservative audience, while Hanson received a standing ovation.
Who's Involved
Pauline Hanson
leader of One Nation, effectively positioned as de facto opposition leader at CPAC
Angus Taylor
Liberal leader who spoke at CPAC and struggled to connect with the audience
Karl Stefanovic
conducted back-to-back interviews with Hanson and Taylor
Matt Canavan
co-headliner at CPAC alongside Taylor and Hanson
Sussan Ley
whose dumping as Liberal leader preceded the Coalition's vote cratering
↳ Why This Matters
The event highlights the shifting dynamics within Australia's conservative political landscape, with Pauline Hanson's One Nation party appearing to gain momentum and influence over the Liberal Party, particularly among the conservative base, potentially impacting future electoral strategies and coalition possibilities.
Key facts
- Pauline Hanson, leader of One Nation, was effectively positioned as the de facto opposition leader at CPAC.
- Liberal leader Angus Taylor struggled to connect with the conservative CPAC audience.
- Hanson received a standing ovation and enthusiastic applause for her speech.
- Taylor's speech included apologies for past Liberal government actions and criticisms of 'big government' and 'socialism'.
- Hanson signaled openness to cooperation among right-wing parties but ruled out formal coalition government positions.
- Hanson stated that future cooperation with the Liberal Party was dependent on Angus Taylor.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson effectively presented herself as the de facto opposition leader, drawing a more enthusiastic response from the conservative audience than Liberal leader Angus Taylor. Taylor, who spoke first, attempted to appeal to the right-wing base with conservative talking points and an apology for past Liberal government policies, including immigration increases, pandemic spending, and net zero commitments. However, his message struggled to resonate, with some audience members heckling him, particularly regarding immigration figures and his reluctance to work more closely with Hanson.
Hanson, by contrast, received a standing ovation before even taking the stage. Her speech focused on economic pain, anger at climate policies and "mass migration," and criticism of "elitists." Despite questioning the Coalition's trustworthiness and stating Australians did not want a "smarmy management consultant" replacing Anthony Albanese, Hanson repeatedly signaled a desire for cooperation among right-wing parties to defeat the Labor government. She indicated that while formal coalition government positions were not desired, future cooperation was "up to Angus Taylor," suggesting his reception at CPAC might influence future political arrangements.