World Immigration News

Pauline Hanson is already distorting policy and politics on immigration. It’s threatening to take us down a dark road

Release Date
2026-02-20
Media
The Guardian
Summary
Australian federal politics is undergoing a realignment more than two years before the next election. Angus Taylor has taken over leadership of the Coalition, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continues his long tenure after winning re-election in 2025. However, the most disruptive force in national politics is Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party, which has recently polled strongly.

Hanson has made renewed racist remarks about Australia’s Muslim community, drawing controversy and dominating political debate. Her comments have complicated responses from both major parties and intersected with issues such as whether Australia should assist women and children linked to Islamic State fighters stranded in Syria.

One Nation’s rise is driven partly by economic hardship and increasingly strong anti-immigration rhetoric. The party proposes deporting tens of thousands of undocumented migrants, drastically reducing international arrivals, limiting visa appeals, and potentially blocking visas from numerous countries. Immigration experts argue that many of these proposals are unrealistic, costly, and poorly defined.

Meanwhile, the Labor government has already moved to reduce immigration levels, including cutting international student numbers, and the Coalition has begun framing migration in terms of “good” versus “bad” migrants. The article warns that allowing Hanson to shape the immigration debate risks distorting policy and pushing mainstream politics toward more extreme positions.
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Australia

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