AARON PATRICK: Tim Wilson confrontation is a sign of Coalition’s challenge after rise of One Nation

Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson doesn’t mind an argument. On Thursday evening he got one that would have challenged even the most experienced politician.

Matt Trihey, a white nationalist, stormed into a community meeting held to discuss building “a respectful society” at a pub in the Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh East.

Crime and immigration is “destroying the greatest country on earth,” he ranted. “No one’s touching it and they must if we are to survive.”

Mr Trihey posted a video of the encounter on X, where he abused Mr Wilson, who said he was concerned about the safety of other attendees. The police had already been called but did not arrive before Mr Trihey took over.

Adding to the tense atmosphere in the room, according to Mr Wilson, was the presence of men wearing CFMEU t-shirts who filmed from the back of the room. In Mr Wilson’s last job as opposition industrial relations spokesman, he was a frequent and trenchant critic of the construction union.

“I can’t tolerate people storming in and shouting over other people in a forum that is about respect,” he told The Nightly. “Which is why I told them to sit down, put their hand up and wait their turn. Instead they chose to leave.”

Unleashed forces

Thursday’s confrontation may have been a physical manifestation of the new assertiveness of the far right and rise of One Nation, which has pretty much quadrupled its support in less than a year.

Australia has more residents born overseas than any time since the 1800s, a transition driven by demographic and economic necessity accepted by Labor and Coalition governments. Unsurprisingly, some are struggling to adapt to the new Australia.

For Mr Wilson, Angus Taylor and the other Liberal leaders, one of the most difficult tasks is harnessing forces unleashed across society by turmoil around the world, from wars in the Middle East to the rise of Donald Trump.

Under the slogan Australia is worth fighting for, Mr Taylor has had an early success. His opposition to the repatriation of relatives of members of the ISIS terrorist group from Syria has been an early, populist position for his leadership.

The problem has caught Anthony Albanese between the principle that all Australian citizens are entitled to return home and fears of importing extremist sympathisers.

To emphasise the ISIS threat, Mr Taylor on Friday met with Assyrian and Chaldean Christians in Western Sydney. Both groups have members who fled the Middle East to escape ISIS persecution.

The visit helped send another message: the Opposition supports immigrants unlikely to bring foreign conflicts with them. Mr Taylor said he left the meetings more convinced ISIS supporters should not be allowed home.

PM criticising Grace Tame

A week ago, when One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said there were no good Muslims, some Liberals were privately pleased. They believed expressing such an extreme view against 800,000 Australians would backfire by turning off respectable people who might otherwise have considered working with the party or donating.

“I know many good Muslims,” Mr Taylor said afterwards. “They’re in my electorate.”

While in Sydney on Friday, Mr Taylor criticised former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, a fearsome young woman who this week cowed the Prime Minister after he called her difficult.

On February 10, during a protest against Israel President Isaac Herzog, Ms Tame chanted: “From Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the intifada!”

Mr Taylor pointed out the phrase is a call to violence. “She said it unambiguously, and the Prime Minister could not condemn her,” he said. “And frankly, that’s not good enough. He lacks moral clarity in the way he approaches these issues. It’s simple, if someone calls for violence, you condemn it.”

Instead, the Prime Minister apologised.

Why Ley’s departure could cost Farrer

Unfortunately for Mr Taylor, scoring points off the Prime Minister is not going to be much help in Farrer, the southern NSW electorate where a byelection will be held to replace former Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who confirmed her political retirement on Friday.

One Nation said it has three potential candidates. An independent funded by climate activist Simon Holmes à Court, Michelle Milthorpe, is already campaigning. The Nationals are strong outside Albury, the main town.

Mr Taylor praised his predecessor, but her decision could cost the Liberal Party yet another seat at a time when it is at one of the lowest points in its history.

Racially, Farrer is among the whitest electorates in Australia. It is poorer and less educated than most others. These characteristics make it an attractive target for One Nation, which appeals to angry men like Matt Trihey, who disrupted Tim Wilson’s event on Thursday.

“It’s the sort of seat where they would poll well,” election analyst Antony Green told The Nightly, “lots of remote areas where services are declining and the selling of water licences really upsets farmers.”

Mr Green, who has been following politics since the Whitlam era, is looking forward to the contest, probably more than Angus Taylor.

“It’s going to be a fascinating by-election,” he said.