Coalition to launch social media blitz as One Nation’s ‘monocultural’ call ignites Parliament

Angus Taylor and Jane Hume have urged Liberal MPs to take part in a social media blitz talking up their party’s governance credentials as they work to combat the existential threat posed to their party by One Nation.

The Opposition Leader and his deputy acknowledged for the first time in a party room meeting on Tuesday that Pauline Hanson’s remarkable surge in support came at the expense of their own.

The duo instructed their team to take to social media to promote their party’s strengths and policies to position themselves as an “election-winning” party.

Meanwhile Liberal WA MP Andrew Hastie reportedly vowed to “never surrender” as he disclosed that his home and electorate office south of Perth had been identified for security upgrades.

According to Nine, Mr Hastie told colleagues he believed the need for enhanced security came after an orchestrated online campaign against him by One Nation and its supporters irate at his perceived role in the allegations of war crimes made against his fellow former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith.

In an at-times combative press conference on Tuesday, Mr Taylor said the Coalition wouldn’t bend to One Nation but would “always work with others to get the right outcomes in the Parliament”.

Mr Taylor then struggled to give a clear answer to at least seven questions as to whether he shared Senator Hanson’s desire for a “monocultural” Australia.

Senator Hanson sparked national debate last Wednesday when she said in a landmark speech Australia “cannot be a multicultural society” but should instead strive to be “monocultural”.

Mr Taylor repeatedly dodged the question, claiming the concepts were difficult to define.

“You explain to me what you mean? There’s all these vague words running around,” he said.

Mr Taylor defaulted to the similarly nebulous concept of shared Australian values.

“I can tell you what I mean is that we want to see all Australians signing up to those values,” he said.

“If someone comes to this country or wants to come to this country who does not share those values, they shouldn’t come.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moved to connect the Coalition and One Nation during Tuesday’s Labor caucus meeting and a fiery Question Time, referencing the “three right wing parties and their allies”.

Mr Albanese was also asked about Senator Hanson’s “monocultural” comments at a press conference on Tuesday but rejected her concept, declaring Australia has “never has been” a single culture.

“Modern Australia is not a monoculture, and it never has been,” he said.

“I think our diversity as a nation is a strength. We have had a rich culture. So, it’s really a nonsense argument to go back to something that was actually never there.

“I think that it’s an example of policies and a vision for the country that isn’t thought through, that doesn’t represent who we are in 2026.”

Mr Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers used Question Time to tear into Mr Taylor’s sidestepping.

Dr Chalmers accused the Coalition of trying to “out-One Nation, One Nation”.

“If you have a look at the quite ridiculous answer… that the Leader of the Opposition gave to a very simple question about monoculture today, you can see what’s going on over there.

“One of the reasons why the Liberal Party is dying in his arms… is because his efforts to out-One Nation, One Nation are becoming increasingly pathetic.”

Senaytor Hanson defended her call for a “monocultural” Australia during an appearance on Sunrise on Tuesday morning.

She had insisted her comments had been misunderstood and claimed she was not asking migrants to abandon their cultural backgrounds but wanted Australians united under one set of laws and shared national values.

“Do we really want to see Sharia law, do we want to see multiple marriages, do we want to see these gangs sitting around our streets with machetes? That’s not the Australian way of life,” she said.

“It’s about being united under the one culture, and everyone should be treated the same under one law. I’m not saying forget where you came from or your cultural background by no means.”