Wayne Swan likens Hanson to Trump and says Labor must stop One Nation’s ‘dark, dystopic picture of the future’

Labor Party president Wayne Swan has issued a stark warning against the normalization of "authoritarian trends" in Australian politics. He drew parallels between Pauline Hanson's attacks on multiculturalism and journalists and Donald Trump's impact on American civic life, urging the Labor Party to actively counter One Nation's influence.

“

A toxic seed blooms into a garden of noxious weeds when we stop gardening.

"People shrug. It gets normalised. Then it gets implemented. Then it just exists," Swan stated, emphasizing the need to resist what he described as a "dark, dystopic picture of the future" before it takes root. He highlighted that resisting such politics becomes more difficult once it has established itself, referencing overseas examples where national guard deployment occurred against citizens.

“

People shrug. It gets normalised. Then it gets implemented. Then it just exists.

Swan specifically criticized Hanson's proposals to shut down SBS and move the ABC to a subscription model, alongside her push for a "monoculture" in Australia. He argued that these positions, coupled with her views on wage increases and worker dismissals, reveal a "billionaire agenda" linked to Gina Rinehart and Donald Trump. Swan asserted that such inequality poisons society and threatens democracy.

“

Now we can see the true nature of the threat we all face and we will not let it become the new normal. We will not shrug our shoulders.

Amidst these concerns, Swan noted a drop in Labor's membership and stressed the importance of reaching a target of 65,000 members by 2029. He is set to be succeeded as ALP president by Kate Ellis in July. The comments come as One Nation gains traction in polls, surpassing both Labor and the Coalition in primary votes, with Hanson even leading as preferred prime minister.

“

This is the thread that connects Rinehart, Hanson and Trump. Inequality lowers living standards. It poisons society. And then the power of big money threatens democracy itself.