One Nation launched its Victorian election campaign on Saturday at Crown Casino, announcing a 63-page policy platform titled “The Real Deal for Victoria” that prioritizes law-and-order measures, tax cuts, and the abolition of the state’s Indigenous treaty. Party founder Pauline Hanson joined state leader Warren Pickering and local candidates to present the full ticket of nominees for the upcoming November 28 poll, where polling suggests the insurgent right-wing party will seriously challenge both Labor and the Coalition.
One Nation pledges to boost police numbers
Public safety and the judicial system form the centerpiece of One Nation’s policy booklet, with the party pledging to boost police numbers, man empty stations, and introduce UK-style self-defence in the home laws. According to reporting by the ABC, the party also plans to increase the number of magistrates, fund a 24-hour bail court, build three new magistrates’ courts in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, and explore a tightly controlled trial to give Victorians legal access to capsicum spray. Warren Pickering told radio 3AW Melbourne on Friday that crime and bail remain the key issues in the state, asserting that residents need to feel safe in their homes and workplaces once more. Additional details circulated at the launch included plans to “gang up on gangs” and hold parents liable for fines and property damage caused by their children.
During the launch event, Northern Metropolitan candidate Mark Nicholson delivered fiery remarks regarding former state leaders. The policy document also targets public sector jobs and state agencies by introducing expiry dates for government bodies.
Did You Know? One Nation’s campaign launch social media post announcing its policy to make it cheaper and easier to set up new businesses featured an AI-generated image of a traditional fish and chips shop.
One Nation intends to abolish Suburban Rail Loop
To fund its law-and-order investments and economic proposals, One Nation intends to abolish the Suburban Rail Loop, scrap the statewide Treaty with Indigenous people, and dismantle the First Peoples’ representative body Gellung Warl. The party’s platform also commits to scrapping all net-zero targets and subsidies, canceling transmission projects such as VNI West and the Western Renewables Link, reversing the ban on gas connections in new homes, and lifting the state’s ban on nuclear power. Regionally, the party has pledged to scrap payroll tax to ease burdens on businesses.
Despite unveiling comprehensive policy targets across 63 pages, The Age reported that the party has yet to produce costings for any of its policies, a step typically undertaken by major political parties during election cycles. Meanwhile, the party’s website noted on Saturday afternoon that an update regarding its crime policy was currently in progress.
One Nation presented candidates for upper house
One Nation presented candidates for the upper house and all 88 lower house electorates, a roster that includes a former Liberal supported by alleged underworld figures, a naturopath who has endorsed Donald Trump’s unfounded claim linking paracetamol to autism, and a former shire councillor who lost his licence for drink-driving. The party has also faced criticism over candidate nomination fees that could allow it to collect as much as $633,000, prompting some potential candidates to question whether the arrangement constitutes a cash grab.
Access to the campaign launch was restricted, with the party preventing reporters from the ABC and SBS from entering the venue. The Guardian did not attempt to attend. Outside the Crown Casino venue, a smaller group of protesters gathered and was monitored by police, while crowd size estimates varied between the party’s claim of more than 1,000 attendees and lower independent estimates.
Voters head to polls on November 28
When is the Victorian state election?
Voters in Victoria will head to the polls on November 28.
Which media outlets were blocked from attending the campaign launch?
News crews from the ABC and SBS were refused entry to the event at Crown Casino, following previous bans involving outlets such as the Age and the Guardian.
What specific judicial changes are proposed in One Nation’s platform?
The party’s 63-page policy document proposes increasing magistrate numbers, funding a 24-hour bail court, building three new magistrates’ courts in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, and exploring a trial for legal access to capsicum spray.
How will voters respond to One Nation’s policy platform and candidate selections when ballots are cast on November 28?
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