Fuelling the resurgence of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON) in multiple opinion polls is the fact that wages have not kept up with spiralling costs of living.

Hanson and other right-wing populists are channelling the resultant growing anger into racist scapegoating of recent migrants from non-European countries.

However, the far right’s response to the June 1 decision the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to raise the minimum wage by 5.97% (from $24.95 to $26.44 per hour) reveals their reluctance to support any measures that will even begin to address the cost-of-living crisis for workers.

Hanson said she opposed any wage rises above the rate of inflation. Then she qualified this, saying she does not “begrudge” the $1.40 pay rise, although she fears that more small businesses may become insolvent.

Trade unions have detailed Hanson’s long record of opposing better wages and conditions and the raising of welfare payments.

Hanson’s hypocrisy is astounding. Apart from enjoying the largesse of Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest billionaire, Hanson received a $100,000 pay rise in March as a result of former National Party MP Barnaby Joyce’s defection to her........

© Green Left Weekly