Pauline Hanson and Angus Taylor Compete for Rightwing Voters at CPAC in Brisbane
At the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Brisbane, Liberal leader Angus Taylor and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson both appeared as co-headliners to pitch to conservative voters. According to reporting by The Guardian, Hanson received a stronger reception from the activated conservative base, leading to observations that she functioned as a de facto opposition leader. While Hanson left the door open to some form of cooperation to defeat Labor, she appeared to rule out formal ministry position exchanges, stating that working together was up to Taylor.
Key points
- Liberal leader Angus Taylor and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Brisbane.
- The Guardian reported that Hanson received a warmer reception from the audience than Taylor.
- Hanson left the door open to cooperation to defeat Labor, stating it is up to Taylor, while ruling out formal cabinet position trades.
- Taylor used his address to offer a mea culpa for past Liberal government actions on immigration, pandemic spending, and net zero.
What Happened
Liberal leader Angus Taylor and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson appeared at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Brisbane, where both leaders sought to appeal to rightwing voters. The event placed the leaders of the Liberal, National, and One Nation parties on a shared lineup.
According to reporting from The Guardian, Pauline Hanson received an enthusiastic reception from the crowd, including a standing ovation. In contrast, Angus Taylor faced heckling and boos from segments of the audience during his address and during back-to-back interviews.
Who Said What
Angus Taylor used his opening keynote address to offer a mea culpa for past Liberal governments, acknowledging mistakes on immigration increases, pandemic spending, and net zero policies. His speech also featured conservative talking points focusing on big government, climate bureaucracy, NDIS fraud, and socialism.
Pauline Hanson delivered a scripted speech focusing on economic hardship, anger at climate policies, mass migration, and criticism of elites. When questioned about potential cooperation between rightwing parties, Hanson stated that working together was up to Angus Taylor, though she ruled out taking ministry positions in a Coalition government or offering Coalition ministers positions in a One Nation government.
Context
The conference highlights ongoing political dynamics on the Australian right, as the Coalition continues to face voter pressures and One Nation builds momentum. Taylor became the first sitting Liberal leader to feature at CPAC, attempting to shore up support from an engaged conservative base.
The shared billing at the convention underscored ongoing discussions regarding how rightwing parties might unite to defeat Labor.
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether Angus Taylor and the Liberal leadership will pursue any form of electoral or strategic arrangement with Pauline Hanson's One Nation party following the reception in Brisbane.
