Earlier this month, One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce addressed a rally on the steps of New South Wales parliament. In emotive terms, he praised an anti-abortion bill about sex-selective abortion , legislation opposed by health experts.
Joyce’s speech is notable as a cut and paste of US culture war strategies, and for what it reveals about One Nation’s evolving, populist far-right agenda.
Read more:
How common is sex-selective abortion in Australia, really?
An unlikely anti-abortion hero
Senator Pauline Hanson, One Nation’s founder and leader, is an unlikely anti-abortion hero. In the 1990s she insisted , “It is every woman’s right to determine her own body”.
In 2018, Hanson does not appear to have commented when Queensland decriminalised abortion. In 2025, she indicated she has no issue with first trimester abortion.
In 2020 , One Nation debuted a “pro-life policy” that relies on a range of claims that originated in the US. These include misinformation about abortions later in pregnancy and broader health care.
However, abortion is still a conscience vote within the party.
Senator Malcolm Roberts has been relatively quiet about his opposition to abortion. But One Nation’s most high profile new recruits – Joyce , Cory Bernardi in South Australia and Bernie Finn in Victoria – have previously made controversial anti-abortion statements.
This rhetoric doesn’t appear to be in response to voter demand. One Nation voters, like most Australians , are broadly pro-choice. In 2026 , 50% of One Nation voters supported abortion access, while a further 34% supported abortion in limited circumstances.
MAGA, down under
One Nation is explicit in comparing Hanson and US President Donald Trump, promising that if you “want Trump’s action and style, then it’s One Nation you need”.
One Nation even sells its own iteration of a MAGA cap, blue with the slogan “MAGA - Make Albo Go Away”.
Hanson and One Nation routinely deploy Trump’s tactics and rhetoric. This includes calling for “mass deportations”, campaigning against “radical gender ideology”, railing against “critical race theory” and dismissing opponents as “woke”.
Yet opposition to abortion has not traditionally been on One Nation’s public agenda. Some of its parliamentarians have adopted the messaging at the same time as the party deepens ties with the MAGA movement.
In late 2025, Hanson travelled on billionaire Gina Rinehart’s private jet to speak at the US Conservative Political Action Conference, held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. She and Rinehart then attended Trump’s lavish Roaring Twenties-themed Halloween party .
Mutual opportunism
Hanson soft launched her interest in abortion politics through the anti-abortion influencer Joanna Howe , an academic whose expertise is in labour migration law.
United by a shared understanding of the power of social media and Trumpian tactics, Hanson and Howe appear to have a mutually opportunistic relationship. Each gains exposure to new, highly motivated audiences and reaps direct political benefit.
Howe has been involved in almost every anti-abortion bill introduced in Australia since 2022. She has a significant online follower count, spends extraordinary sums on social media advertising, and is part of Australia’s right-wing podcasting ecosystem .
Howe believes that “abortion is murder and everyone involved should face criminal penalties for that murder”.
Read more:
Hate over love: conservative influencers have brought angrier anti-abortion politics to Australia
However, she also champions the strategy of “ incrementalism ”.
Originating in the US , anti-abortion incrementalism chips away at abortion rights and access through constant legislative attacks while amplifying stigmatising rhetoric and pseudo-scientific claims.
In August 2025, Hanson filmed a convivial podcast interview at Howe’s home. The day after the episode released, Hanson asked a Senate question , echoing some of Howe’s talking points.
Hansard reveals no other instance of Hanson discussing abortion in parliament.
In 2026, Hanson has appeared twice more on Howe’s podcast, while Howe uses her platform to politically champion One Nation.
In the SA election, Howe registered her company as a “ third party ”, allowing her to spend more than A$10,000 on political messaging. She advised voters to put One Nation first.
During the Farrer byelection, Howe held a candidate’s forum on abortion , praising David Farley for his “courageous” statement.
Joyce’s recent speech was the headline event at Howe’s Sydney rally. She warned the NSW Nationals that unless they support the sex-selection bill, One Nation would take their seats in the state election.
Incremental damage
Only 8% of Australians oppose access to abortion.
While the Religious Right is a key bloc for the US Republican Party, Australian compulsory voting means there is no need to mobilise a “base” to turn out.
Even conservative Australian politicians tend to view opposition to abortion as electora…
Read the full article at The Conversation (AU) →📄Source document: Canvas House Events Space→7 reports
CrikeyIndependentCenter6 days agoOne Nation's fundraiser in Victoria faced disruptions including a last-minute venue change, a neo-Nazi protest, and two separate protests. The event, attended by Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce, moved from Giorgio Casa to Canvas House, an LGBTQ+-friendly venue, causing controversy among attendees.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual account of the events without overtly favoring any political perspective. It describes the circumstances of the fundraiser, including the venue change and protests, without using biased language or selectively presenting information.
The Conversation (AU)IndependentLeft6 days agoThe article discusses One Nation's shift towards an anti-abortion stance, highlighting Barnaby Joyce's recent speech at a rally supporting an anti-abortion bill related to sex-selective abortion. It notes that this approach mirrors US 'culture war' strategies and reflects the party's growing alignment with far-right populism. Senator Pauline Hanson, the party's founder, has had shifting views on abortion over time, while other prominent members like Joyce and Cory Bernardi have expressed anti-abortion sentiments.
Bias read (Left): The article frames One Nation's adoption of anti-abortion rhetoric as a move toward far-right populism, drawing parallels to US 'culture war' strategies. It critiques the party's reliance on US-based misinformation and highlights the contrast between current positions and past statements from key党成员
The Sydney Morning HeraldParty-alignedCenter8 days agoProtesters disrupted a One Nation fundraising event, forcing Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce to leave through a back door.
Bias read (Center): The article reports an event without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It describes the disruption but does not frame it with clear ideological slant.
The AgeParty-alignedCenter8 days agoProtesters disrupted a One Nation fundraising event, forcing Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce to leave through a back door.
Bias read (Center): The article reports an event without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It describes the disruption but does not frame it with clear ideological slant.
The AustralianParty-aligned🔒Center10 days agoProtesters gathered outside an event featuring Pauline Hanson in Perth.
Bias read (Center): The article provides only a headline and no additional content or context, making it impossible to determine any specific framing or slant. As such, the lean is CENTER due to lack of information.
CrikeyIndependentRight12 days ago The rise of One Nation is changing anti-abortion politics. South Australia is the battlegroundSouth Australia's Parliament is set to vote on an anti-abortion bill, the third such proposal in under 18 months. This bill would permit abortions only after 25 weeks if two doctors determine it is necessary to save the pregnant person's life. The article notes that the growing influence of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party may lead to the bill passing in the upper house.
Bias read (Right): The article frames the potential passage of the anti-abortion bill as a result of the 'stunning rise of One Nation,' implying a positive outcome for the party's agenda. It emphasizes the bill's restrictive nature without providing balanced context or counterarguments, suggesting a pro-One Nation and
Official sources cited
- government South Australian MLC Sarah Game
- government Pauline Hanson
- organisation Joanna Howe
SBS NewsState / PublicCenter16 days agoBarnaby Joyce was asked to re-record comments suggesting One Nation policy would require permanent residents to sell their homes. Pauline Hanson clarified that only temporary visa holders and foreign citizens living abroad would need to sell their properties within two years, while permanent residents would not be affected. This clarification followed a public misstatement by Joyce during an interview.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both Joyce's initial statement and Hanson's subsequent clarification without overtly favoring either side. It reports on the controversy objectively, quoting directly from the individuals involved and providing context about existing policies on foreign ownership.
Australia