Pauline Hanson has declared she has the "ability" to serve as Australia's prime minister, refusing to rule out a move from the Senate to the House of Representatives to chase the nation's top job. Her comments follow a historic shift in political polling where her right-wing populist party, One Nation, surged to the top of major primary vote intentions.

 

‘I won’t knock the job’: Pauline Hanson floats prime minister ambition amid polling rise

Pauline Hanson has declared she has the "ability" to serve as Australia's prime minister, refusing to rule out a move from the Senate to the House of Representatives to chase the nation's top job. Her comments follow a historic shift in political polling where her right-wing populist party, One Nation, surged to the top of major primary vote intentions.

The Poll Surge

• Historical Lead: A new Redbridge/Accent Research poll placed One Nation at 31% of the primary vote, leading Labor (28%) and the Coalition (20%).
• Seat Projections: Data suggests the party could sweep regional areas, potentially winning up to 59 seats if an election were held immediately.
• Coalition Defections: High-profile figures like Barnaby Joyce have credited the surge to voter backlash against Labor's federal budget, coinciding with Coalition MPs like Farrer MP David Farley defecting to sit with One Nation.

Hanson's PM Ambitions

• "Won't Knock the Job": Speaking to Sky News Australia, Hanson stated she would not underestimate herself or say she cannot handle the role.
• Lower House Transition: Because Australian prime ministers sit in the lower house by convention, Hanson confirmed that running for a House of Representatives seat in the next federal election is "in the mix".
• Cabinet Confidence: Hanson expressed absolute confidence that she could assemble a competent, effective cabinet to run the federal government.

Policy Context & Roadblocks

• Stance on Core Issues: Alongside her leadership ambitions, Hanson reiterated calls for strict immigration bans from specific countries and a nationwide ban on the burqa. [1, 2]
• Financial Backing: Hanson defended her close relationship with Australia's richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, who recently gifted One Nation a million-dollar private aircraft to assist with regional campaigning.
• Electoral Obstacles: Despite the strong polling, political experts note that the path to forming government remains highly challenging due to urban voter resistance and unfavorable preference flow dynamics.