One Nation Shocks Labor in WA By-Election Upset

One Nation has pulled off one of the most striking upsets in recent Australian political history, wresting the traditionally safe Labor seat of Secret Harbour in Western Australia with a 17.5 percentage point swing. The result has sent shockwaves through both major parties and reignited debate about where disaffected voters are turning.

A national news poll released in the wake of the by-election puts Pauline Hanson's party at 30 per cent of the primary vote, edging ahead of Labor on 29 per cent and leaving the Coalition trailing in third place on 19 per cent. For a party long dismissed as a protest movement, the numbers represent a fundamental shift in the political landscape.

The winning candidate in Secret Harbour, Luke Heritage, cut an unusual figure for a One Nation standard-bearer — a young, sharply presented small businessman and gym owner whose profile resonated strongly with voters in the outer suburban seat. Political observers noted that his background as an entrepreneur, rather than a career politician, appeared to be a deliberate drawcard for a community tired of the professional political class.

The result prompted an immediate response from the federal government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers took to the stage at the Queensland Labor conference to mount a sustained attack on One Nation, labelling the party dangerous and divisive — language that commentators noted echoed former prime minister Tony Abbott's recent remarks.

Speaking on 4BC Brisbane, political figure Barnaby Joyce argued that the backlash against Labor runs deeper than any single policy failure. He pointed to a string of broken or disputed promises — including the now-infamous $275 electricity bill reduction — and suggested voters have concluded that the government says one thing and does another.

"People see a party that is basically left-wing university students with a massive chip on their shoulder," Joyce said, arguing that Labor's frontbench has lost touch with working Australians. "There are no laborers on this front bench. It's just a thing of the past."

Joyce maintained that voter anger is being driven by cost-of-living pressures, regulatory overreach, and a sense that everyday concerns about energy costs, land use, and firearms laws are being overridden by ideological priorities in Canberra. He described the mood among many voters as one of exhaustion with being told how to live.

With Victoria's state election approaching in November, One Nation is ramping up its candidate recruitment. Joyce pointed to the party's NSW operations — including former trade commissioner Mark Latham — as evidence that the movement is attracting credible, experienced figures capable of competing at a high level. In Victoria, former serviceman Warren is among those being put forward as the party seeks to translate national momentum into state-level gains.

Whether the Secret Harbour result marks a durable realignment or a protest spike will become clearer as the Victorian campaign unfolds, but for now both Labor and the Coalition are scrambling to understand exactly what is driving voters away — and whether there is anything they can do to win them back.