Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing sharp criticism after using a Labor conference speech to attack One Nation following the party's historic by-election victory in Western Australia. The win in the seat of Secret Harbour, a previously safe Labor electorate, has sent shockwaves through Australian politics and triggered a fierce debate about why voters are abandoning the major parties.

Key facts behind the upset

• One Nation secured its first lower house seat in Western Australia.
• Candidate Luke Herdegen defeated Labor's Georgia Tree in Secret Harbour.
• The two-candidate-preferred result was roughly 57 per cent to One Nation and 43 per cent to Labor.
• There was an 18 per cent swing against Labor.
• Labor's primary vote crashed by 22 points to just 24 per cent.
• One Nation's primary vote surged to 39 per cent, up from only 9 per cent at the 2025 state election.

A historic upset in Secret Harbour

The result is being described as one of the most significant political setbacks for Labor since its federal election victory last year. Secret Harbour had been considered safe Labor territory for years, and the scale of the swing suggests deeper voter discontent than a simple protest vote. By-elections are often used by voters to send a message to the government of the day, but the collapse in Labor's primary vote points to a more fundamental realignment.

One Nation's success in Western Australia is particularly striking because the party has historically been strongest in Queensland. Winning a lower house seat in WA represents a major expansion of its electoral appeal and raises the possibility of further inroads in other states. The jump in primary votes from 9 per cent to 39 per cent in a single electoral cycle indicates that the party has tapped into a vein of anger that is not being addressed by either Labor or the Coalition.

Albanese's response

Addressing the Queensland Labor conference on Sunday, Albanese warned that 'hard right populists are on the march' and singled out Pauline Hanson's party as a growing political threat. He declared that Labor had a responsibility to defeat One Nation, saying the party had no serious answers to Australia's problems.

'Parties like One Nation have no serious answers to our problems,' Albanese said. 'They'll say anything and do anything to win votes. Bend any facts. Peddle misinformation and disinformation. Turn Australian against Australian.'

He went on to say: 'Across the world hard right populists are on the march. We simply must defeat them. We owe it to history. And we will defeat them.'

The Prime Minister also used the speech to defend multiculturalism, arguing that Labor supports it because it is part of Australia's strength. 'We unequivocally support multiculturalism because we know it's part of Australia's strength,' he said. 'And because we believe every Australian is equal, whether they are Australian by birth or Australian by choice.'

Albanese took aim at offhand comments made by Pauline Hanson over the years, claiming One Nation believes Australians are lazy and overpaid, that people working from home are bludging, that domestic violence is sometimes a woman's fault, and that Australia should become a monoculture. He argued that any alliance between the Liberal National Party and One Nation would be unworkable because neither party could govern without the other. 'The only mainstream political force in Australia that seeks to govern in the interests of the Australian people in their own right is the Australian Labor Party,' he said. 'Because they can't govern without the LNP, and the LNP can't govern without them.'

Backlash and online criticism

Despite the strong language, Albanese's comments triggered immediate criticism online. Some Australians argued that he failed to understand why voters were increasingly turning to One Nation in the first place. One social media user referenced his justification for backflipping on Labor's May budget pledge not to change negative gearing or capital gains tax. Albanese and senior Labor figures such as Treasurer Jim Chalmers had said they 'changed their position' when asked why they went against their election pledges.

'Has he changed his position on seeing One Nation as a threat?' one commenter wrote.

'The rise of One Nation is because of Labor,' another added.

A third accused Albanese of attacking voters rather than political opponents. 'Political parties only exist because of voters. This sounds like an attack on ordinary Aussies exercising their democratic vote,' the commenter wrote.

Others dismissed Labor's promises on cost-of-living relief. 'Here comes all the promises again, my word is my bond,' another user posted.

Why the result matters

The Secret Harbour by-election is not an isolated event. Across the developed world, mainstream parties are facing challenges from populist movements that speak directly to voters who feel left behind by globalisation, housing affordability crises, and cost-of-living pressures. In Australia, One Nation has historically been a force in Queensland state politics, but its success in Western Australia marks a significant expansion of its appeal.

Political analysts have noted that the 18 per cent swing in Secret Harbour is far larger than what is typically seen in by-elections. The fact that One Nation's primary jumped from 9 per cent to 39 per cent in a single electoral cycle indicates that the party has tapped into a vein of anger that is not being addressed by either Labor or the Coalition. The by-election result has therefore raised questions about the government's strategy and messaging in a state that was once considered a Labor stronghold.

Albanese's speech was largely focused on Labor's record on Medicare, wages, housing and education, but his strongest message was reserved for One Nation. This has led some to question whether the government is listening to the concerns of voters in seats like Secret Harbour or simply dismissing them as supporters of a far-right party. The Prime Minister's reference to 'hard right populists on the march' echoes a broader global debate. Leaders in Europe and North America have similarly warned about the rise of populism, but critics argue that such language can alienate voters who feel their legitimate grievances are being ignored.

One Nation's success in Western Australia also puts pressure on the Liberal National Party. Some LNP figures have previously ruled out preferences deals with One Nation, but the by-election result may force a rethink. Albanese's claim that the LNP and One Nation cannot govern without each other is a direct attempt to paint the Coalition as dependent on Hanson's party, but it remains to be seen whether voters in Secret Harbour were motivated by that concern or by economic anxiety.

Labor's primary vote of just 24 per cent in the seat represents a catastrophic decline for a party that won the federal election last year. If that trend were repeated across Western Australia in a general election, Labor would lose several seats. The result has already become a talking point ahead of the next federal election, and both Labor and the Coalition will be studying the numbers carefully. For Albanese, the challenge is not only to defeat One Nation at the ballot box but also to understand why voters in places like Secret Harbour feel compelled to turn to a party that many mainstream politicians dismiss.

Source:Mail Online News