Australia’s far-right party makes further gains, taking seat in western state

One Nation, under the leadership of Senator Pauline Hanson, claimed a Western Australian parliamentary seat previously held by the Labor Party for decades. This win comes after the party overtook Labor in a national opinion poll in June for the first time. Gym owner Luke Herdegen secured the seat in the state capital, Perth, defeating a Labor candidate with 57% of the vote.

The result marks One Nation's first lower house seat in the state, posing a significant challenge to major parties. Labor's Tanya Plibersek acknowledged the message sent to her party about the need to better communicate its commitment to solving Australians' problems. Herdegen's victory signals a shift in public sentiment over housing shortages, high living costs, and a waning confidence in Australia's major parties.