The cost of boycotting One Nation
Rising support for One Nation is prompting debate about its place in Jewish communal politics.
Few Jewish communal policies have aged as poorly as the longstanding boycott of One Nation. As the party surges in the polls, now commanding support from almost one in three Australians, it’s becoming impossible to ignore the damage caused by alienating one of the Jewish community’s strongest political supporters.
AJA never endorses parties and engages across the spectrum except the Greens. Yet One Nation’s consistent support for the Jewish community and Israel cannot be denied.
It’s equally undeniable that many in the Jewish community are now considering One Nation. The party strikes a chord on issues directly affecting us: radical Islam, immigration, law and order, and ABC bias. Many doubt the major parties’ ability to confront these challenges.
One Nation’s support reflects a longstanding commitment. In 2018, Senator Pauline Hanson became the first federal politician to introduce the IHRA definition of antisemitism into Parliament, a motion opposed by both major parties at the time. That same year, when the Coalition recognised only “West Jerusalem” as Israel’s capital, Hanson pledged full recognition of Jerusalem and moving Australia’s embassy there. One Nation isn’t wedded to a Palestinian state in the way the major parties are.
Following October 7, Hanson was appalled by Greens senators wearing keffiyehs in the Senate. She wanted a public gesture of solidarity, initially sourcing a Tallit before wearing an Israeli flag scarf provided by AJA. Hanson may not suit everyone’s style, but her sincerity is clear.
She has spoken of her marriage to the Jewish son of an Auschwitz survivor. For nearly a decade one of her senior policy advisors was an Orthodox Jew, and in 2022 One Nation elected its first Jewish MP in South Australia.
Despite this record, One Nation has faced an almost total boycott from Jewish organisations, a difficult stance to justify, especially as many of the same groups previously courted the Greens.
The hostility dates back to 1998, when Jewish organisations controversially published thousands of One Nation members’ names from a confidential list, an act many today would call doxxing. It continues today, with One Nation excluded from President Herzog’s visit.
I saw this mindset firsthand when I was disinvited from a communal antisemitism co-lab I was invited to, after refusing an ultimatum to delete a photo with Senator Hanson following the burka incident. This occurred just two weeks before the Islamist-inspired Bondi massacre, highlighting how misplaced some priorities had become.
In vain, I explained that whether One Nation polled 2 per cent or 20 per cent, boycotting them was wrong. At current levels it’s also strategically foolish. The Jewish community doesn’t have enough friends to turn away millions of Australians.
Despite the position of Jewish organisations, One Nation enjoys growing support within the Jewish community. This was evident in AJN polling, the crowds that mobbed Hanson at Bondi, and the welcome shown One Nation senators at AJA’s Chabad Bondi memorial. The contrast with the booing of Anthony Albanese and Mark Dreyfus at Jewish events is stark.
Like any party experiencing a surge in attention, One Nation is not without controversy. I would not have used Hanson’s “no good Muslims” remark nor Queensland Senator Malcolm Roberts’ clumsy response when questioned about Bondi being a “false flag”. However, Roberts repeatedly described the theory as “absurd”. Not having had engagement from the Jewish community despite a decade in Parliament, he appeared genuinely surprised by the reaction which partly stemmed from unfamiliarity with his speaking style. When I spoke to him, something no other Jewish leader had done, he reiterated that the theory was absurd. With antisemitism surging, we shouldn’t cry wolf. Roberts has a strong pro-Israel record, even calling in 2017 for sanctions on New Zealand over its anti-Israel policies.
One Nation has also historically struggled with candidate selection. As a minor party fielding hundreds of candidates nationwide with limited budget and party infrastructure, it has attracted its share of conspiracy theorists and opportunists. If it wishes to be regarded as a serious contender for government, it must continue improving its internal processes.
When a majority of Labor conference delegates voted to free Marwan Barghouti, a terrorist serving life sentences for murdering Jews, concerns about One Nation’s occasional clumsy language are put in perspective.
As much of the Australian right beyond the Coalition follows figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens and turns against Israel, One Nation remains a notable exception.
Jewish organisations need not agree with every One Nation policy, but the boycott is an own goal. There is precedent. Many Jewish groups were once reluctant to embrace Evangelical Christian support, yet attitudes evolved. Israel has similarly built ties with once-shunned European parties that became strong allies.
Senator Hanson’s recent National Press Club address signals One Nation’s growing acceptance in Australian public life. It would be a mistake if the Jewish community remains the last place it is unwelcome.
Jewish organisations must end their boycott of a party representing millions of Australians. AJA stands ready to assist.
Robert Gregory is the CEO of the Australian Jewish Association (AJA).