Full Breakdown
One Nation’s Victorian Campaign Launch: Policies, Rhetoric and Political Fallout
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Campaign Launch at Crown Casino
On Saturday, One Nation unveiled its Victorian election platform at Crown Casino in Melbourne’s Southbank. The event introduced the party’s 128 candidates for every lower-house and upper-house seat, presented a 63-page policy booklet titled *The Real Deal*, and featured speeches by national founder Pauline Hanson, state leader Warren Pickering, and candidate Mark Nicholson. The launch was closed to several media outlets, including the ABC, The Guardian and The Age.
Background & Context – One Nation’s Resurgence in Victoria
One Nation, founded in 1997, has historically been a fringe party. A Resolve Political Monitor poll shows 23 % first-preference support for One Nation in Victoria, compared with 25 % for Labor and 28 % for the Liberal-National coalition. The party’s rise follows its performance in the 2023 Farrer by-election and the South Australian state election, which it describes as an “orange wave” now reaching Victoria.
Key Figures & Groups
- Pauline Hanson – Founder, invoking Ned Kelly and the Eureka Stockade.
- Warren Pickering – Victorian state leader, emphasizing crime policy and veteran recruitment.
- Mark Nicholson – Upper-house candidate who threatened to imprison former premiers.
Data & Statistics
- Polling: 23 % first-preference support (Resolve Political Monitor).
- Candidates: 128 covering all 88 lower-house electorates and upper-house regions.
- Policy document: 63 pages outlining law-and-order, infrastructure and cultural reforms.
- Veteran recruitment estimate: Approximately 10,000 suitably qualified Australian Defence Force veterans in Victoria.
- Election date: November 28 (scheduled).
Official Statements & Responses
One Nation framed its platform as a “pragmatic approach” to public safety, promising to increase police numbers, introduce a 24-hour bail court, and scrap the Suburban Rail Loop. Pickering called the crime policy “the most important offering,” arguing that “more police on the streets” would restore community confidence. Hanson urged supporters to “drive” the movement forward.
Government minister Nick Staikos rejected any cooperation, declaring, “We don’t share anything in common with that party, we will not be making deals with that party.”
Criticism & Opposition
Labor and Liberal officials criticised One Nation’s rhetoric and policy feasibility. Wilson warned that the promises lacked costings and could destabilise judicial independence. Protestors outside the launch accused the party of racism and scapegoating immigration, reflecting broader community concerns about its historical stance on multiculturalism.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If I have it my way, Dan Andrews and Jacinta Allan, they'll be in prison by Christmas,” — Mark Nicholson, candidate
- “What I've provided is a vehicle; now you are the engine, now you drive it,” — Pauline Hanson, founder
- “The policy that I'm most proud of, and probably the most important to Victoria, is our crime policy,” — Warren Pickering, state leader
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
One Nation claimed more than 1,000 people attended the launch, while independent estimates placed the crowd “several hundred lower.” No official attendance figure has been released, leaving the true size uncertain. The policy booklet provides detailed proposals but omits costings, a gap noted by analysts.
What’s Next – Election Countdown
The Victorian election is scheduled for November 28. One Nation’s campaign will focus on its law-and-order agenda, the abolition of the Suburban Rail Loop, and the repeal of the state Treaty with Indigenous peoples. The party will continue to disseminate its platform through social media and local rallies in the weeks leading up to the poll.