Overview
- One Nation candidate Luke Herdegen won the Secret Harbour by‑election with a roughly 17.5 percentage‑point swing, giving the party its first lower‑house seat in Western Australia and a tangible electoral foothold.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly condemned hard‑right populists as dangerous and divisive after the result, and senior Labor figures have urged scrutiny of One Nation’s rhetoric and ties to controversial figures.
- Pauline Hanson accused the prime minister of 'incitement' and disclosed she now receives expanded federal police protection, a claim that has prompted sharp public rebuttals from Labor ministers.
- Law‑enforcement and security officials say threats to politicians have climbed and the AFP has increased protective spending and referrals, including a reported $523 million spent protecting politicians and government sites in 2024–25.
- Polling and surveys show rising trust and primary‑vote support for One Nation, driven by voter anger over cost‑of‑living pressures and service failings, and major parties now view upcoming state contests as tests of whether the surge will last.