Pauline Hanson has overtaken Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister in a new national poll, marking a dramatic moment in Australian politics as One Nation’s surge continues to unsettle both major parties.
The latest Resolve Political Monitor, conducted for The Sydney Morning Herald, has Hanson ahead of Albanese on preferred prime minister, with the One Nation leader on 33 per cent, Albanese on 29 per cent and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor on 16 per cent.
The poll also showed One Nation climbing to 29 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of Labor on 28 per cent and the Coalition on 20 per cent.
The result comes after a week of intense political focus on Hanson’s party, including a high-profile fundraising drive, protests outside One Nation events and controversy over a neo-Nazi who appeared outside a Melbourne fundraiser.
Hanson has moved to distance herself from the extremist figure, saying neo-Nazis were with “the wrong party” and rejecting suggestions that One Nation welcomed such support.
The controversy followed a One Nation fundraiser in Melbourne featuring Hanson and Barnaby Joyce. The event was originally scheduled for Giorgio Casa in Moonee Ponds before being moved to South Melbourne after protest activity was planned.
ABC News reported that about 30 protesters attended the new location, shouting slogans including “Immigrants are welcome here, Nazis are not”. Dozens of police officers were present outside the venue.
Victoria Police confirmed a 22-year-old man was given a direction to move on and said there were no formal arrests.
The neo-Nazi figure Michael Nelson, who had recently been convicted of offensive behaviour over the disruption of an Anzac Day dawn service, was restrained by officers outside the South Melbourne venue. In videos posted online, he could be heard making pro-Hanson comments while being dealt with by police.
Hanson has rejected any association with neo-Nazi supporters, saying they did not belong with One Nation.
But the incident has given her opponents fresh ammunition.
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson claimed Hanson had “attracted extremists into her ranks”, arguing the episode showed the risks of One Nation’s political rise.
Labor has also sought to frame One Nation as a party of anger rather than answers.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said One Nation had “anger, but not answers” and “slogans, but not solutions”. He warned voters that Hanson, Joyce and the Coalition would deliver “chaos” if they worked together at the next election.
The attacks come as Hanson attempts to convert polling momentum into a broader national campaign against Labor and the Coalition.
One Nation has been touring the country and holding campaign-style events while its “Fire the Liar” donation campaign targets Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor-held seats.
The online campaign had raised more than $3 million in less than three days, with about 50,500 Australians contributing at an average of about $60 per person.
Hanson has presented the fundraising success as evidence that voters are turning away from the major parties and looking for a political alternative.
The party has promised to spend the money on billboards, television and radio advertising, including in seats held by Labor.
The latest polling will add to the pressure on Albanese, whose government is facing voter frustration over cost of living, housing, migration, energy prices and broader economic insecurity.
Resolve pollster Jim Reed said Hanson’s support appeared to be expanding beyond One Nation’s traditional conservative base, including among some non-white and migrant voters who are concerned about immigration levels and pressure on housing and services.
That trend is politically dangerous for Labor because it suggests One Nation is no longer only taking votes from the Coalition. It is also attracting some working-class, outer-suburban and disillusioned voters who may once have been considered natural Labor supporters.
For the Coalition, the poll is equally alarming. Angus Taylor remains well behind Hanson on preferred prime minister, while the Coalition’s primary vote has fallen to a low point.
The result leaves Australia’s political landscape looking increasingly volatile, with One Nation positioning itself not just as a protest party but as a direct challenger to the major-party system.
However, the Melbourne controversy also highlights the challenge Hanson faces as her party moves into the national spotlight. With greater polling strength comes greater scrutiny, particularly over who is attracted to One Nation events and how the party responds to extremist figures seeking to attach themselves to its rise.
Hanson’s message is that One Nation is giving a voice to Australians who feel ignored by the political establishment. Her opponents argue the party is fuelling division and attracting dangerous elements.
The new poll suggests voters are at least willing to listen to Hanson in numbers that would have been almost unthinkable a year ago.
Whether that support can survive scrutiny, protests and claims of extremist association may now become one of the defining questions of the next federal political contest.
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