Australian government support drops as One Nation gains ground

Support for Australia's governing party has hit a four-year low, with the right-wing One Nation party experiencing a surge in popularity, a new poll reveals. Labor's primary vote has dropped to 30 percent, according to the latest Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper. Simultaneously, Pauline Hanson's One Nation has achieved a similar share of support, approaching its best-ever results. This rise for One Nation has occurred over the past year as voters increasingly abandon the center-right Coalition parties, which have been plagued by internal divisions since losing power in 2022. Labor's waning popularity has also benefited One Nation, which aims to convert this electoral momentum into wins. The party secured its first federal seat in May and is preparing for its next electoral test in late August for a seat in Perth. Hanson's recent controversial remarks, including calling for Australia to become "monocultural" and lamenting the end of the White Australia Policy, have drawn significant attention. She also recently spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in London and met with mining magnate Gina Rinehart in Italy, who is a known supporter of One Nation and provided Hanson with a plane earlier this year.