The Making of One Nation: podcast out now

From a fish and chip shop in regional Queensland to the heart of Australian politics: our new podcast series tracks the unlikely story of the country’s most controversial minor party.

For 30 years, One Nation and Pauline Hanson have been ridiculed, dismissed and shut out. Now, no one is laughing. This is the story of how a party built on fear and grievance thrived, died and rose again to upend Australian politics.

In this series, we go beyond the headlines and stunts to document how One Nation works and what it means for our future. You can listen to the full series now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 1: enter the outsider

It’s been 30 years since Pauline Hanson first landed in parliament, well before many voters were even born. Before she’d set foot in the building, she’d already upset the establishment. No one thought she’d last and yet decades on, voters are flocking to the party en masse.

So who is Hanson, why did she run for politics and what drives her controversial views?

In episode one, a documentarian and senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, Anna Broinowski, recounts her time travelling with Hanson and the surprise meal Hanson prepared for their dinner.

Episode 2: define the enemy

Pretty much everyone of a certain age remembers this line in Hanson’s maiden speech: “I’m afraid we’re in danger of being swamped by Asians.”

It wasn’t the first racist comment she’d made in public and it certainly wasn’t the last.

She was identifying her “enemy”: the group she blamed for the woes she’d been hearing about across the counter of her fish and chip shop in regional Queensland.

In Episode two, political scientist Ben Moffitt says it’s an intentional populist strategy, used to draw a clear line between “us” and “them.”

Episode 3: survive a scandal

For most parties, scandals are disastrous: they lose seats, ministers and elections — but not One Nation.

It’s weathered defections and punch-ups (including a memorable smearing of blood on a Senate door), jail and chaos.

This is a party that doesn’t just survive the controversy, but cultivates it and capitalises on it.

Jordan McSwiney researches far-right parties and movements. In episode three, he says the more controversy, the better for One Nation.

Episode 4: move the centre

One Nation has never held government, nor has it ever been in opposition. Yet it’s managed to influence public policy in Australia for three decades.

From borders to immigration, Indigenous affairs to multiculturalism, it’s moved the needle on each of these issues. How does a fringe party come to wield so much influence?

In episode four, public policy expert Josh Sunman says mainstreaming is just the start of it.

Episode 5: master the media

The media made Hanson and One Nation, but now the party holds all the power.

For 30 years, journalists have ridden a merry-go-round reporting on its stunts and inflammatory rhetoric, while grappling with how to interrogate its policies and hold the party to account.

In Episode five, far-right communication researcher Kurt Sengul traces how the party’s used the media and how the media can now try to fight back.

Episode 6: seize the moment?

The polling headlines have been shouty: One Nation is surging! It’s a One Nation bubble! One Nation has peaked!

But beyond the noise, there’s a trend: more Australians are voting for One Nation.

The controversial minor party has become our unofficial opposition.

In episode six, political scientist Jill Sheppard laughs that she hasn’t been asked about the real opposition leader in three months.

This series was hosted by Ashlynne McGhee and produced and edited by Isabella Podwinski. Sound design by Michelle Macklem.

Listen to The Making of One Nation on The Conversation Weekly feed via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feedor find out how else to listen here. Transcripts of these episodes are available via the Apple Podcasts or Spotify apps.