Taylor opens door to One Nation deal – but Wong will test him on Hanson first

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will pressure Angus Taylor’s Liberal Party to take a stand against Pauline Hanson’s controversial remarks about Muslims, as the opposition leader opens the door to a preference deal with One Nation in an upcoming byelection.

In an interview with this masthead just over two weeks after becoming leader, Taylor said his party could take on the surging populist force by speaking about Australian values and cultural issues at the same time as offering compelling economic policies that One Nation could not match.

“That’s what the Liberal Party can offer that is unique. I don’t think the Labor Party can offer that. I don’t think One Nation can offer that,” he said.

“Restoring our standard of living, protecting our way of life, and celebrating our great nation is not fringe at all. I think it’s mainstream. I don’t know whether it’s left or right, as my good friend and deputy leader Jane Hume says, it’s moving forward.”

Taylor’s stance towards One Nation and its attitudes on Muslim migrants will face an early test this week when Wong moves a Senate motion to censure Hanson for her statement a fortnight ago that there were no “good” Muslims.

The widely condemned intervention sparked a debate about Hanson’s fitness to lead a major party and created splits in One Nation, whose highest-profile recruit, Barnaby Joyce, declined to back Hanson’s view.

Hanson, whose positions on migration have drawn more attention since the Islamic State-inspired Bondi massacre of Jews, has also created awkwardness for the Coalition as it tries to claw back support from One Nation without drawing criticism for using racist rhetoric.

“Australians expect their elected representatives to set the standard for our country and show basic respect for all Australians,” Wong told this masthead on Sunday ahead of a debate on the Senate motion on Monday.

The Labor motion will affirm that Australia has “been built by the hard work, sacrifice and aspiration of people of every race and faith”, call on senators to avoid divisive commentary, and censure Hanson for “comments seeking to vilify Muslim Australians”.

Ellie Whiteaker, a first-term Labor senator from Western Australia, made clear Labor’s intent to wedge the opposition and test its willingness to publicly rebuke One Nation, which has overtaken the Coalition or drawn level in many polls.

“We know the Liberals are racing to outflank Pauline Hanson on the far right but how low will they go?” Whiteaker said.

Right-wing Nationals senator Matt Canavan was quick to condemn Hanson for her remarks earlier this month, while Hume labelled them abhorrent. Hanson was censured and suspended by the major parties in November for her burqa stunt.

Taylor, meanwhile, has expressed disagreement with Hanson but used softer language than Canavan and Hume as he tries to welcome conservatives flirting with One Nation back into the Coalition tent.

“I’ve made clear that there are [positions] that Pauline and One Nation have taken that I absolutely don’t agree with,” Taylor said in the interview on Sunday.

“But I’ll always show respect to voters who are considering voting One Nation and I’m going to work hard to win them back.”

One Nation is seen as a genuine contender to win the up-coming by-election in Farrer, vacated by former Liberal leader Sussan Ley.

The by-election is shaping as a messy four-way fight with an independent and a Nationals candidates in the field, making preferences more important.

Asked repeatedly if the Liberal Party might ask voters to direct preferences to One Nation ahead of Labor and a left-wing independent, Taylor did not rule out the prospect.

Frontbencher Andrew Hastie said on Sky News’ Sunday Agenda that he was happy to put One Nation ahead of Labor.

John Howard famously decided to place One Nation last on Liberal preference tickets in 2001, but in recent years he has supported Liberal-One Nation deals.

“There’s been no decision made around preferences. What I will say is to people who are thinking of voting One Nation: I will show respect,” Taylor said. “Our job is to convince them that the Liberal Party is back.”

Taylor said the Farrer by-election would be a tough battle, days after Ley put the heat on Taylor to retain the seat in her resignation statement.

“We knew that from the start,” he said. “You had a popular local member who has left suddenly, obviously, in circumstances none of us would have chosen if we could have avoided. But it’s the reality that the party room was ready for change.”

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