Former Wagga councillor Paul Funnell and One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts have officially launched a One Nation branch in the Riverina. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
One Nation, the political party founded by Queensland senator Pauline Hanson, has officially launched in the Riverina, with hopes of putting a candidate forward by the 2029 federal election.
The launch event, hosted by One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts at Wagga Wagga’s RSL Club, marked the party’s push to begin branches in each of Australia’s 151 electorates.
One Nation has four sitting members in the Australian Senate: Pauline Hanson, Senator for Queensland; Malcolm Roberts, Senator for Queensland; Tyron Whitten, Senator for Western Australia and Sean Bell, Senator for New South Wales.
While the Riverina branch of One Nation is yet to officially sign on any volunteers or push any candidates for the Riverina and many other electorates, Mr Roberts did not rule out the possibility of Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce joining the One Nation ranks after he confirmed he would not be contesting his New England seat following the current term.
“Pauline’s words are that she will not go out to poach members of other parties,” he said.
“If they approach us, then we’ll listen to them, just like we listen to everyone else. We’re not going to go out and start campaigning to bring others in. We’ve had mixed success in the past from bringing people from other parties in.”
Aiding Senator Roberts in the launch of the party in the Riverina is former Wagga councillor Paul Funnell, who also did not rule out a return to politics at a federal level.
“As far as putting the hat in the ring down the track, I don’t know, and as I’ve said regularly, in politics, you never say never,” Mr Funnell said.
“If I did throw my hat in, it’s going to be up to the branch. It’s their choice; it’s a democratic process.”
One Nation’s Riverina office will soon officially open the search for local volunteers to fill positions including branch coordinators, branch secretary, treasurer and marketing officials.
Mr Roberts said One Nation’s decision to begin its push into more electorates was due to polling in favour of the party and more voters looking to steer away from the government’s duopoly (Labor and the Coalition).
“People are tired of the Nationals; people are tired of the Liberals and the Labor Party,” Mr Roberts said.
“They want someone to actually be a voice for them. Just looking at net zero, it’s destroying the Nationals right now, and none of their members have the guts to call it out.
“It’s destroying agriculture, it’s destroying industry, and it’s destroying the cost and standard of living.
“For too long, people on the ground have been watching it happen, and the people they’ve elected in to represent have been sitting back and letting it happen.
“We’ve said from the word go, net zero is a scam. We’re listening to the people and they’re saying they’ve had a gutful.”
Mr Funell said he reached out to One Nation as a means to have real representation in the Riverina.
“The Nationals have not represented regional Australia for decades, make no mistake about it,” Mr Funnell said.
“Where’s our manufacturing? Where’s our productivity? Where are all the fair trade agreements?
“It’s all gone out the window under National Party representation over the last 30 years. It goes back to the reason why I am standing to support One Nation is that for 30 years, Pauline Hanson’s message has never wavered, it has never changed.
“They may have shifted their position slightly through debate, through knowledge, by listening to the people. The key is they are driven by the people.”
Mr Roberts said One Nation would continue to speak up about issues the major parties ignored, including net zero, renewable energy, Murray-Darling irrigation and cost of living.
“In my first speech to the Senate in 2016, I started with the words, ‘As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia’ – the Labor Party sniggered, and the Liberal Party went funny in the face. They’re not used to it.
“Ultimately, that is what One Nation is about and once people understand that, we will see even more people jump on board.”
