One Nation’s polling surge could create serious instability after the next federal election, with the party’s growing Senate prospects threatening to disrupt the balance of power and test Australia’s political institutions.

South Australia, Farrer, and the latest opinion polling have put One Nation ahead of any third force in Australian politics in the past 80 years, even the Greens and the Democrats, let alone the Australia Party, the United Australia Party, the Centre Alliance, or the Nuclear Disarmament Party – all of which have had parliamentary representation.

It is tectonic that a minor party is now polling higher than one or even both major parties. We have less than two years to see how it will play out in a Federal election and how well Australia’s institutions, especially the Parliament, the media, and the political parties themselves can cope.

It is especially important because One Nation regularly displays destructive Trumpian characteristics, such as accepting expensive aircraft as donations; accepting other large donations from the big end of town; prattling off ill-thought-out xenophobic and nativist policies; swinging between inconsistencies with impunity; ignoring valid criticism; attacking norms; and so on.

Australians should be wary. Just as President Donald Trump has shown his true disruptive and destructive colours after getting power in 2024, so will One Nation if it gets any power in 2028, such as in the Senate.

We are getting samples of that now.

In the past week, three One Nation MPs behaved like cats in the kitty litter as they qualified and contradicted each other over a “policy” that would expel........

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