One Nation leader signals willingness to provide confidence and supply while criticising Liberal leadership at conservative conference.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has offered to set aside longstanding differences with Australia’s Coalition parties and work with them to remove Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government from power, while simultaneously urging conservative voters to abandon the Liberals and Nationals.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Brisbane over the weekend, Hanson declared her party’s readiness to cooperate with the opposition if it helped end Labor’s time in office. “My offer to them is: you can have our numbers, and you can have supply from One Nation,” she said, adding that she would provide confidence and supply to a future Coalition minority government. However, she firmly ruled out joining a formal coalition or accepting ministerial positions, arguing that such an arrangement would compromise One Nation’s independence.
Hanson Offers Coalition Support to Remove Labor Government:
Hanson’s remarks came as both she and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor addressed the conference, competing for support among right-wing voters. While directing her sharpest criticism at the Albanese government-describing it as “wretched and corrupt”-she also targeted the Liberal Party. She labelled Taylor a “smarmy management consultant” and questioned the Coalition’s past record on issues including climate targets and the establishment of the eSafety Commissioner. Despite the barbs, Hanson said personal history should be put aside in the interest of defeating Labor.
The One Nation leader has repeatedly positioned her party as an alternative for voters frustrated with both major parties, often referring to them as a “uniparty.” At the same time, she has made clear that removing Labor remains the overriding priority. “Australians despise Albanese and his corrupt Labor Government,” she told the CPAC audience, while emphasising that neither One Nation nor the Coalition was likely to govern alone after the next election.
Hanson has floated similar offers in previous months, indicating she would be prepared to act as a kingmaker by guaranteeing supply and confidence without entering a formal power-sharing arrangement. She has insisted that One Nation would not be dictated to on policy or voting, drawing a distinction with what she described as the Nationals’ experience within the Coalition. In return for support, she has previously highlighted policy priorities such as ending net-zero commitments, reducing immigration, and opposing certain social policies.
Hanson and Taylor Clash Over Potential Coalition Deal:
Taylor, who became the first sitting opposition leader to address the Australian CPAC event, focused on presenting the Coalition as the serious alternative to Labor. He acknowledged past Coalition shortcomings, including high spending during the pandemic, net-zero commitments, and rising immigration numbers. He largely avoided direct engagement with questions about potential deals with One Nation, drawing some heckling from the audience. Other Coalition figures have privately and publicly acknowledged shared goals with One Nation on removing Labor while remaining cautious about formal partnerships.
The exchange highlights the ongoing competition and uneasy overlap on Australia’s conservative right as the next federal election approaches. One Nation has gained ground in recent polling and by-elections by appealing to voters disillusioned with the major parties. Hanson used the platform to encourage supporters to back her party first, while still extending an olive branch for post-election cooperation aimed squarely at ending Labor’s hold on power.
Whether the offer translates into practical arrangements will depend on the parliamentary numbers after the election and the willingness of Liberal and National leaders to engage. For now, Hanson’s dual message-criticise the Coalition while offering to help it defeat Labor-underscores the complex dynamics shaping Australia’s political right.