A Sri Lanka-born migration adviser who came to Australia as a lawyer 19 years ago is volunteering at polling booths for One Nation in Victoria’s November 28 election, saying he sees an irony in a migration agent supporting Pauline Hanson against mass immigration. One Nation’s primary vote is at 23 per cent, one point ahead of Labor, according to The Age’s Resolve Political Monitor.
De Silva, a registered migration agent and a Buddhist, said the contradictions were immediately apparent. “It’s very ironic that I’m a registered migration agent who is supporting Pauline Hanson against mass immigration. Plus, my best friend happens to be a Muslim,” he told The Age. “Third irony: I am a Buddhist.”
He works with prospective migrants in Pakenham, a seat on Melbourne’s eastern fringe where One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering is trying to become the party’s first Victorian lower house MP. “We are now part of the permanent political landscape here in Victoria, whether people like it or not,” Pickering told the Melbourne Press Club this week. “Get used to it.”
De Silva said his views aligned with One Nation’s stance on skilled migration. “I like people who are skilled. Let them be plumbers, carpenters, lawyers. I came as a lawyer to this country.” He said, “We wanted to have a Western culture, which loved people from different ethnicities to come and live within that monoculture of Western civilisation”. He added that he does not “go around standing in the middle of the road, laying down and praying or meditating”.
Pollsters regard Morwell as the lower-house electorate most likely to fall to One Nation. Donna Hicks, owner of Dear Delilah florist, said safety was her biggest concern: “There is a homeless issue here. I have a lady who regularly sleeps in my alcove here.”
Denis Fahy, a 62-year-old construction worker and lifelong unionist who turned his back on Labor, said he had had enough of the party. “This is an Irish Republican, a Labor voter – who has had enough of Labor.” He complained that young people were “being overlooked for new immigrants. It stands out everywhere, mate, even in this place.”
Casey Murphy is One Nation’s candidate in Morwell. Her stepbrother Katlain Sellings, a cleaner, said he was voting One Nation and that Pickering commanded the room in a speech at Casey’s launch.
Pollsters expect Victorians to elect several One Nation MPs, particularly in the upper house, where Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell is the party’s sole representative. In the late 1990s, the party’s first wave of momentum was met with protests and electoral defeat in Victoria.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- One Nation’s surge in Victoria, a traditionally progressive state, signals a shift in voter sentiment driven by concerns over crime, immigration, and economic decline in regional areas.
- The election could give the party its first Victorian lower house seat, potentially reshaping the state’s political landscape and influencing coalition dynamics.
- The profile of supporters like De Silva challenges stereotypes about One Nation’s base, showing appeal among some migrant communities.
Background
The Victorian state election is scheduled for 28 November 2026. One Nation has historically struggled in Victoria, but recent polling shows the party at 23 per cent, ahead of Labor. Warren Pickering, the Victorian leader, is contesting the seat of Pakenham, while the seat of Morwell in the Latrobe Valley is considered the most likely to fall to One Nation. The region has seen the decline of coal-fired power stations and timber mills, contributing to economic hardship and population discontent.
Key Perspectives
Lalin De Silva: A Sri Lanka-born migration adviser and One Nation volunteer, says the party aligns with his views on skilled migration and Western culture. “It’s very ironic that I’m a registered migration agent who is supporting Pauline Hanson against mass immigration.”
Denis Fahy: A former Labor voter and unionist who now supports One Nation, citing a lack of work for young people and resentment over immigration. “They’re being overlooked for new immigrants. It stands out everywhere, mate.”
Donna Hicks: A Morwell florist and swinging voter, says safety is her main concern, pointing to homelessness and crime in the area.
Katlain Sellings: A cleaner and One Nation voter, says he was impressed by Warren Pickering and feels high taxes are not reflected in infrastructure. “We’re handing over close to 40 per cent in taxes. Yet, when I go and ride my motorbike on the weekend, I’m dodging potholes everywhere.”
Warren Pickering: One Nation’s Victorian leader, says the party is “here to govern” and is part of the state’s “permanent political landscape”.
What to Watch
- The election result on 28 November 2026, particularly in the seats of Pakenham and Morwell.
- Whether One Nation wins its first Victorian lower house seat, and how preferences flow in close contests.
- The response from major parties, Labor and the Coalition, to One Nation’s rise in the final week of the campaign.
Checked
10 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedLalin De Silva is a Sri Lankan immigration lawyer volunteering for One Nation in Victoria’s election.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Meet the Sri Lankan immigration lawyer handing out for Pauline Hanson at the election.”
- SupportedOne Nation’s primary vote is 23 per cent in Victoria, one point ahead of Labor, according to The Age’s Resolve Political Monitor.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “One Nation’s primary vote is at 23 per cent, according to The Age’s Resolve Political Monitor – 1 point ahead of Labor.”
- SupportedDe Silva came to Australia as a lawyer 19 years ago.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Let them be plumbers, carpenters, lawyers. I came as a lawyer to this country.” That was 19 years ago with his Catholic wife, Manjula, a qualified chef, and two children, now both in their 30s.”
- Not in the sourcesDe Silva works with prospective migrants in Pakenham.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “De Silva advises prospective migrants about working in Australia or settling here permanently.”
- SupportedDe Silva said it was ironic that, as a registered migration agent, he supports Pauline Hanson against mass immigration, and that his best friend is Muslim.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““It’s very ironic that I’m a registered migration agent who is supporting Pauline Hanson against mass immigration. Plus, my best friend happens to be a Muslim,” says the 65-year-old lawyer”
- SupportedDe Silva said he is a Buddhist.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “De Silva continues: “Third irony: I am a Buddhist.””
- SupportedWarren Pickering said One Nation is part of Victoria’s permanent political landscape and told people to get used to it.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““We are now part of the permanent political landscape here in Victoria, whether people like it or not,” he said. “Get used to it.””
- SupportedPollsters regard Morwell as the lower-house seat most likely to fall to One Nation.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “pollsters regard it the most likely lower-house seat to fall to One Nation.”
- SupportedDonna Hicks said safety issues around Morwell were her biggest concern and described a homeless woman regularly sleeping in her alcove.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A swinging voter, she says safety issues around Morwell are her biggest concern. “There is a homeless issue here. I have a lady who regularly sleeps in my alcove here. That I know by name.””
- SupportedPollsters expect Victorians to elect several One Nation MPs, particularly in the upper house, where Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell is the party’s sole representative.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Pollsters expect Victorians will elect several One Nation MPs, particularly in the upper house, where Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell is the party’s sole representative.”