Australian news and politics recap: Opposition leader Angus Taylor launches attack on One Nation
RECAP: Opposition leader Angus Taylor has accused Labor of creating an economic crisis, while launching a blistering attack on One Nation.
Scroll down for a recap of the latest news and updates.
Key events
20 Jul 2026 - 04:36 PM
Done for the day!
20 Jul 2026 - 03:30 PM
Regional peace tops agenda for ASEAN foreign ministers
20 Jul 2026 - 03:25 PM
Australians love the army – that’s a big problem for the ADF
20 Jul 2026 - 02:58 PM
Voters depart major parties months out from state poll
20 Jul 2026 - 02:28 PM
‘ISIS bride’ to walk free after allegedly showing kids extremist videos
20 Jul 2026 - 01:56 PM
LATIKA M BOURKE: Pauline Hanson doubles down over Tommy Robinson row
20 Jul 2026 - 11:29 AM
Labor MP Mark Dreyfus complains of attacks from other Jews
20 Jul 2026 - 11:06 AM
Barnaby Joyce labelled as One Nation’s ‘clean up boy’
20 Jul 2026 - 08:24 AM
‘Not fit to govern’: Coalition fires at One Nation
20 Jul 2026 - 06:30 AM
‘Labor has joined One Nation’: Barnaby pounces on agreement
20 Jul 2026 - 06:21 AM
Hanson’s leadership signal as One Nation climbs in polls
20 Jul 2026 - 06:15 AM
Joyce distances One Nation from White Australia policy
Hanson’s leadership signal as One Nation climbs in polls
Pauline Hanson says her continued good performance in the opinion polls is encouraging but that she is open-minded about someone else leading any One Nation government.
The latest Newspoll published by Newscorp showed One Nation maintaining its overall strength with a primary vote of 30 per cent, which is neck-and-neck with the governing Labor party. It is the second time Labor has recorded it’s lowest-ever primary since first regaining power in 2022.
The Coalition languishes far behind both parties but clawed back two points to land at 19 per cent. All results are within the margin of error, suggesting no statistically significant changes overall.
Approval ratings showed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at minus 18, up for his June low of minus 24 while Senator Hanson improved and was neutral with 47 per cent satisfied with her performance, 47 per cent dissatisfied.
One Nation had surged ahead of both the major parties but dipped slightly following Senator Hanson’s debut at the National Press Club where she stated opposition to paid parental leave and abortion.
Joyce distances One Nation from White Australia policy
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has distanced the party from the White Australia policy, insisting it does not support its return despite comments by leader Pauline Hanson linking Australia’s migration issues to the policy’s abolition.
Speaking on Sunrise, Mr Joyce said winding back the policy had been a “very good thing” but argued immigration had changed over time.
“It’s a statement of fact that, and Pauline herself said, it started from (former PM Harold) Holt actually, the wind down of the White Australia policy, a very good thing, and at the start there was really no issues with it,” he said.
“But over time, we got a section of people who didn’t want to assimilate with Australia, didn’t work within the guardrails of Australia and therefore we started moving away from an Australian culture to having to encompass a whole range of views, some of which are just not conducive to an egalitarian, easy-going society.”
Mr Joyce also defended Senator Hanson’s support for mass deportations, later clarified as referring to illegal immigrants.
Pressed on how the policy would work, he said those found to be in Australia unlawfully would be removed from the country, telling Sunrise they would be “put on a plane and sent back to where they’re from.”
