The big surprise of the recent federal election was the success of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party. Not only was Hanson elected but three other One Nation Senators were as well. Their election has led to much soul searching about Hanson's ongoing appeal, and public discussion about how to respond.
A recent SBS Insight episode suggested that those who voted for Hanson predominantly were disillusioned with the major parties and believed Hanson had a passion and authenticity that the others lack. Hanson benefitted from the perception that she is a political outsider who speaks for 'ordinary Australians'.
This affirmed polling by Essential Research that found 62 per cent thought she speaks for a lot of ordinary Australians and 65 per cent thought she spoke about issues politicians are too scared to tackle.
It is ironic that Hanson thrives on the perception that she is an authentic outsider against 'the system' when in fact she is part of that system. Think about how she is constantly given paid platforms by television networks.
She hasn't been silenced by 'the system', her voice is heard and has been amplified. She is also no amateur, she is a professional and knows exactly what she is doing. She is not some 'battler' being picked on, and that needs to be emphasised.
The resonance of Hanson's message goes beyond being seen as an outsider. Part of it also comes from her portrayal of her views as 'common sense'. Her perspective is never complicated or sophisticated; it is matter of fact, and based on practical intuition. Think back to her maiden speech and her comparison of immigration to being allowed to choose who she invites into her home.
A good recent example of how Hanson uses 'common sense' was her comments about squat toilets in the Tax Office. Her simple message was that if you cannot figure out how to use something as simple as a toilet, how can you know how to run something complex like a tax system?
Her messages are not based on facts, so fact checking is pointless, as are overtures to diversity or that it does not matter. They are simple 'common sense' messages, so they cut through.
"Hanson is not some poor downtrodden member of society, but very much a part of the system and a beneficiary of it."
That 'common sense' approach thrives in the current media landscape and explains why it favours populists. Simple messages cut through the noise and grab