The Coalition's failure to unite in policy left a "vaccum" for Pauline Hanson's One Nation to lure voters during the South Australian election – but the insurgent party could shake up federal politics too.
One Nation's strong performance in the election was accompanied by a significant dip in support for both the victorious Labor party and the Liberals, and politicians in Canberra should be taking note, former Nationals leader David Littleproud said.
Littleproud said the biggest takeaway from Hanson's seismic upswing in popularity is that voters are disaffected with every side of politics.
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"I think the lesson for that, not just in South Australia but federally, is that people are angry and if you look at where the polls are federally, they don't like any of us," he told Today.
"The reality is, no-one is sitting there with 40 or 50 per cent of the primary vote in any of the polling.
"Everyone is scratching around 20 to 30 per cent. That's because people are angry, they are hurting, they're looking for hope, they're looking for direction."
Both major parties bled votes to One Nation across the state.
While SA Premier Peter Malinauskas secured a second term with a landslide win for Labor, the party's primary vote still dipped slightly to around 38 per cent.
One Nation burst onto the scene with an historic 21 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Liberals on just 19 per cent.
The state numbers threaten to spill across borders as One Nation circles ahead of the looming Victoria election and Farrer byelection.
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Littleproud said Hanson's promising showing in SA should spook the Coalition into action.
"The biggest mistake the Coalition made after the election was basically to abolish all policies, and that left a vacuum for Pauline Hanson to walk in," he said.
"It also poses a significant opportunity. We've got a prime minister who is unpopular, not like Peter Malinauskas, there's an opportunity there, but we've got to put out our policies.
"You've got to fight for what you believe in and people reward that."
Hanson yesterday said a "clear message is being sent" as early poll numbers indicated her conservative party was securing a record primary vote.
"I want to take this opportunity to give a big thnak you to the people of South Australia for giving their trust and confidence to One Nation," Hanson told 9News.
"This will send a clear message. I'm not going to stop at South Australia, I'm going to go to after the seat of Farrer... and then Victoria."
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