Voters will not find “solutions” by casting ballots for One Nation, Anthony Albanese has cautioned ahead of South Australia’s upcoming election.
State polls have consistently put One Nation’s primary support at well above the beleaguered Liberal Party, which has weathered high leadership turnover and failed to find sticking attack lines on the centrist Labor government.
The worst polls have suggested state opposition leader Ashton Hurn, who only took up the reins in December, could be facing a party-wide wipe-out.
Such an outcome would have major implications for future elections as One Nation pursues federal and state seats across the country.
The Prime Minister said on Thursday Australians would be better served by voting for “parties of government”.
“One Nation … don’t provide solutions,” Mr Albanese told ABC radio.
“They do reflect a view which is expressing frustration that people feel, and we need to respond to that, and we need to respond to it constructively.
“My concern with the rise of One Nation is that they’re a divisive political party.
“Pauline Hanson is a Queenslander who has sought to divide Australians in her approach to politics.
“What I want is solutions, and I’d rather see people from parties of government elected, whether that be in a state election or in a federal election.”
Premier Peter Malinauskas is on track to lead Labor to a historic landslide, with the latest Advertiser/YouGov poll putting his party’s primary support at 38 per cent to One Nation’s 22 per cent and the Liberals’ 19 per cent.
Mr Malinauskas was also well ahead as preferred premier at 62 per cent to Ms Hurn’s 23 per cent.
During a live debate on Wednesday, both warned against voting for One Nation because the Queensland-based party has “very Queensland-focused” policies.
