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One Nation candidate vows to jail ex-premiers 'by Christmas' at Victorian campaign launch

Mark Nicholson's pledge met with applause from 750 supporters as party unveils 63-page policy platform

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time2 min
Sources4 outlets
A prominent One Nation candidate in Victoria has threatened to jail former premiers Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan 'by Christmas' if the party wins the November state election, drawing cheers from about 750 supporters at the party's campaign launch in Melbourne.

Mark Nicholson made the pledge at One Nation's campaign launch at the Crown Conference Centre in Southbank on Saturday, a promise party founder Pauline Hanson compared to Donald Trump's vow to 'lock up' Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential campaign.

Hanson presented the party's 112 candidates who will contest every lower house and upper house seat in the November 28 poll, while criticising the legacy of 12 years of Labor government in Victoria. (The Age reported the number of candidates as 93.)

The party released a 63-page policy document titled 'The Real Deal' that outlines plans to make Victoria the toughest state on crime, repeal a raft of taxes, cancel the Suburban Rail Loop, scrap the Treaty with First Nations Victorians, roll back renewable energy projects and lift the state's ban on nuclear power.

The crowd of party faithful responded with rapturous applause to Nicholson's jailing pledge, which came as One Nation seeks to capitalise on voter discontent in the lead-up to the election.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • A minor-party candidate threatening to jail former premiers represents a significant escalation in political rhetoric in Victorian state politics.
  • The policy platform proposes major reversals on infrastructure, energy and Indigenous recognition that would reshape the state if One Nation gained influence.
  • The party's campaign launch and candidate numbers signal its ambition to contest every seat, potentially drawing votes away from the major parties.

Background

One Nation is a right-wing political party founded by Pauline Hanson, which has previously won seats in the federal Senate and some state parliaments. In Victoria, the party has been preparing for the November state election, fielding candidates across all lower house and upper house seats. The party has positioned itself on a platform of law and order, tax cuts and opposition to major infrastructure and renewable energy projects.

Key Perspectives

One Nation supporters: The party's base appears energised by the tough-on-crime message and the promise to hold former Labor leaders accountable. The enthusiastic reception suggest the rhetoric resonates with those who feel the state has been mismanaged. The Victorian Labor government: The threat to jail former premiers and the policy to dismantle key Labor initiatives (the Suburban Rail Loop, the Treaty process) represent a direct challenge to the party's legacy. Critics and political opponents: The proposal to jail political opponents has drawn comparisons to Trumpian tactics and raises concerns about democratic norms. The policy platform remains uncosted, which critics may use to question its credibility.

What to Watch

  • Whether the 'lock up' rhetoric boosts or hurts One Nation's polling performance in the weeks until the election.
  • How Labor and the Coalition respond to the party's policy proposals, particularly the promise to cancel major projects.
  • Whether One Nation is able to convert its candidate numbers into actual seats in the Victorian Parliament.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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