Hansonism
Australian political ideology
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Ideology
Hansonism has been described as a form of right-wing populism. A common theme within Hansonism is the idea that the "multiculturalist elite" are manipulating "hardworking Australians" into supporting certain policies, such as Indigenous land rights and welcome to country ceremonies. Hansonism believes that such rights for minority groups, such as for Indigenous Australians, are forms of reverse racism and are anti-equality. On political spectrum, Hansonism is associated with right-wing to far-right politics.
Another key feature of Hansonism is support of economic nationalism and opposition to economic rationalism. Hanson has supported the re-introduction of tariffs, establishing government-run banks, renewing local manufacturing, and is critical of multinational corporations.
In 1998, Kukathas and Maley identified two strands of Hansonism: Soft Hansonism, and Hard Hansonism. Hard Hansonism refers to the policies directly supported by Hanson, such as anti-Asian sentiment, an attachment to the White Australia Policy, criticism of multiculturalism, and the populist view that these policies are associated with "the people". Soft Hansonism is associated with Hansonist policies that take a milder form or are promoted by non-One Nation members, such as staunch opposition to asylum seekers, with the views of Graeme Campbell being cited as an example of the latter type.
Hanson has blamed the abolition of the White Australia policy between the 1960s into the early 70s by the governments of Holt, Gorton, McMahon and Whitlam for what she views as the negative consequences of immigration. In 2018, Hanson called for immigration numbers to be capped at 75,000 a year. In 2025, Hanson called for immigration to be cut to 130,000 a year.
Hanson has also been known to make Anti-Muslim rhetoric ranging from wearing a burqa onto the floor of the Australian Senate in a move to rally support for a national ban of the religious attire, supporting a ban on Muslim Immigration and saying there are "no good Muslims".
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Critical reception
Academic Tod Moore interprets Hansonism as a reaction against the rise of neoliberalism and globalism, inspired by both fear and anger, and that it has been adopted by blue-collar and middle class Australians due to the acceptance of neoliberalism by the Australian Labor Party. However, Moore critiqued Hansonism as contradictory as the policies would ultimately lead to policies he believes as harmful to those groups, such as "smaller government, fewer public amenities, more financial deregulation, weaker unions, and greater wealth inequality".
Milton Osborne, in 1999, noted that research found that Hanson's initial supporters did not find Asian immigration a major reason for their support, but instead they were most concerned about economic deregulation and unemployment. Osborne also argues that her support of substantial tax cuts undermined support for Hansonism, leading to her initially leaving parliament.