'Worried about my seat': NSW premier thinks One Nation is a 'threat'

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has voiced concerns that the surging popularity of the One Nation party could pose a significant threat to the Labor Party, despite his own comfortable electoral buffer.

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I think this is a genuine threat to us in the Labor Party. It's real. It's a clear movement.

"I think this is a genuine threat to us in the Labor Party," Minns told Stateline. "It's real. It's a clear movement." While One Nation's rise is more likely to affect the Coalition, Minns believes the party, led by Pauline Hanson, could capture a substantial number of votes from Labor. He pointed to One Nation's strong performance in several Labor-held seats during the 2023 election.

Minns acknowledged that the upcoming election campaign could be unusual, potentially featuring a three-cornered contest. "They're going to have a big crack at this election campaign," he said. "And it's going to be unusual, because we've not had effectively a three-corner contest before. But, we're ready for it."

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They're going to have a big crack at this election campaign. And it's going to be unusual, because we've not had effectively a three-corner contest before. But, we're ready for it.

Separately, the premier addressed the state's housing crisis, rejecting the notion that immigration should be the sole focus. "I don't want the immigration debate to obscure the state government's responsibility to get on with the job of building houses," he stated. "There's been too many excuses and not enough homes." NSW needs to build 75,000 homes annually to meet targets, but only managed about 45,000 last year. While recent figures show some improvement, Minns faces pressure to demonstrate continued progress before the election.

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I don't want the immigration debate to obscure the state government's responsibility to get on with the job of building houses. There's been too many excuses and not enough homes.