Posting a birthday photo of yourself on social media has almost become the norm.
But it can be a bit risky — especially if you are Australia’s most controversial and talked about politician.
Days after declaring she’s “coming for WA” at the next Federal election, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson posted a photo of herself to mark her 72nd birthday.
Nice, except for one small thing. Or maybe not that small.
Hanson, who wants a big piece of WA’s 16 Federal seats, posted a pic of herself with none other than Clive Palmer, who famously took WA to court to fight its COVID-19 border controls and then tried to sue WA for up to $30 billion over his Balmoral South iron ore project in the Pilbara.
Ever heard of Greek’s bearing gifts? Well, now Clive’s bearing gifts — to Pauline.
“Look who’s come to visit me on my birthday, bearing gifts,” Hanson posted on social media, with Palmer giving the thumbs up sitting across from Pauline with two cakes and a bunch of pink and red roses on the table.
“I really appreciate the gesture.”
As you can imagine, the post was manna from heaven for the WA Labor Party — and the Liberals — who are sweating over Hanson’s claim in last week’s The Sunday Times that she will throw everything at winning seats in WA at a Federal poll expected in 2028 (Although, don’t be surprised if Anthony Albanese goes earlier than that, given he has rolled the dice on contentious tax changes).
“I’m coming. Too right I’m coming (for WA),” Hanson declared last week, before nominating four WA seats she is particularly keen on.
“We’re going to run in every seat in the Lower House, but there’s four that we will be really targeting — Canning, Forrest, Hasluck and Pearce.”
Canning is held by none other than Andrew Hastie — the Liberal’s Plan B should Angus Taylor not cut it as Federal leader — and Forrest is held by Hastie lieutenant Ben Small.
Pearce and Hasluck are Labor seats, held by Tracey Roberts and Tania Lawrence respectively.
The Liberals were quick to alert me to Hanson’s birthday meet with Clive Palmer once the One Nation leader had posted the pic, crowing about the fact Pauline was hanging out with WA’s public enemy No.1.
But WA Labor went one better, re-posting the pic and Hanson’s comments on its social media.
Headlined “Working against WA”, Roger Cook’s people said: “When Clive Palmer threatened to sue WA during COVID to stop our border controls, the McGowan Labor Government wrote special laws to stop him.
“Pauline Hanson backs him. She doesn’t back WA.”
Obviously, it’s game on.
It would appear WA Labor already has its anti-Hanson lines ready for not just the forthcoming Federal election, but the State election in 2029, where One Nation will also run candidates.
No doubt the Libs will follow suit, although I assume they won’t refer to the fact Scott Morrison had initially joined Palmer in fighting against WA’s strict border controls, before reading the political tea leaves and dropping Clive like a hot potato.
One poll last week suggested Hanson could win as may as 59 seats in the Federal Parliament’s 150-seat House of Representatives, such is her cut-through in the current climate.
So if the swell of support for One Nation continues to grow, Hanson will be a real threat in WA to both Albanese and Taylor.
Even if Hanson does not win any WA seats, the flow of One Nation preferences will have a significant bearing on election results.
Incidentally, Rita Saffioti also celebrated her birthday this week by posting a nice pic of herself and her mother, Guissepina.
No photo of Amber-Jade Sanderson bearing gifts, I notice.