Opinion piece critiques One Nation's scapegoating of migrants amid economic pressures

An opinion piece published in The Guardian on 11 May 2026 argues that while voters in the Farrer electorate face genuine economic pressures, attributing their distress to migrants constitutes racist scapegoating that fails to address the root causes of their pain. The article, written by Sisonke Msimang, contends that One Nation's recent electoral victory in the region underscores a harmful historical narrative in which white Australians are perceived as being under threat from outsiders.

Msimang highlights the party's consistent anti-immigration and Islamophobic rhetoric, noting that Pauline Hanson has made no secret of her views regarding non-European migrants. The piece points to the party's recent win in Farrer, a region described as older and whiter than most in the country, as evidence that Australia's migration problem is driven less by data than by this long-running narrative of white threat.

The article draws on personal anecdotes to illustrate the impact of this rhetoric, including a 2017 event in the author's neighbourhood billed as "Pots and Pizza with Pauline" which attracted approximately 200 attendees. Msimang also recounts a story of a young woman of East African descent who, unaware of Hanson's platform, idolised the politician in primary school solely because she was a woman in parliament with brightly coloured hair.

Regarding the party's resources, the piece notes that Hanson now has candidates, money, and a new jet paid for by Gina Rinehart. Msimang asserts that while there is a greater mainstream appetite for Hanson's views, this does not validate the idea that directing frustration at migrants is a natural or politically necessary response to economic issues.

The author criticises the Liberal party for failing to develop a non-racist conservative platform, suggesting that its unserious and lazy approach to politics is playing a major role in rising One Nation support. Msimang argues that treating the grievances of white Australians as more poignant than those of non-European communities perpetuates a harmful hierarchy of suffering.

The piece concludes by questioning the nebulous use of the term "migrant" in political discourse, noting that One Nation has targeted communities including Indian Australians and Muslims despite economic data to the contrary. Msimang warns that mainstream media often unfairly privileges the grievances of white Australians over those of non-European communities, who face additional barriers due to racism.