One Nation is expected to only take some regional seats in the South Australian election but saw its primary vote soar
South Australia’s so‑called “orange wave” may have little chance to materialise, with voters swinging heavily back to the major parties despite national attention on One Nation’s campaign and the polls polarising their popularity.
WATCH ABOVE: One Nation’s surge complicates election count
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Upper house candidate Cory Bernardi and One Nation senator Pauline Hanson have celebrated the rise in the party’s primary vote as the ballot counting continues.
One Nation has failed to gain a single seat in the lower house yet despite a shift of 18 per cent from the Liberals to the minority party.
On Saturday night, Bernardi said he’s likely to have more One Nation candidates join him in parliament – aside that he has not won the upper house ticket just yet.
“I’m smiling because today an earthquake has rattled the foundations of uni-party politics in South Australia,” he said.
“I promise you there is more to come.
“One Nation will have the strongest voice in the South Australian parliament that it has ever had.”
Bernardi said One Nation will put South Australians first.
“We want to put South Australians first — that is my promise,” he said after a chant of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!” by One Nation supporters.
“And I’m delighted I won’t be alone in the parliament to do so.”
Hanson said she remains “unsure” of the lower house seats her party will win.
But she had one message for re-elected Malinauskas.
“Guess what mate? I’m leaving you some landmines — they’re called One Nation members of parliament,” she said.
“I suggest don’t step on them because they will explode, and that’s what we’re here for — to ensure you get good representation, good government with a good opposition which you have not had in this state for a long time.”
Early polling spikes for One Nation
It follows weeks of hype for the party and early polling spikes, but an insider says One Nation will only win a couple of lower house seats, at best.
“People didn’t realise, you’re not voting for Pauline Hanson – you’re voting for her candidate, and they didn’t like that,” the insider told 7NEWS.com.au
“Candidates can leave the party at any time.”
The insider told 7NEWS.com.au they remain “positive” to get “three or four seats” but said they doubt they will get large number of seats required to form opposition.
“We are keeping our eyes open, Cory Bernardi and Carlos Quaremba are the upper house tickets,” they said.
Currently, South Australia has no One Nation party members in the lower or upper house, with its only ever upper house MLC Sarah Game leaving One Nation to form her own party in 2025.
Aside from a policy to repeal the Indigenous voice to parliament, there are only limited unique policies that are specific to South Australians, including banning offshore wind farms, selective fishing policies, water supply to the state’s lumber forests and a promise to allow health staff who were banned to due to refusing certain vaccinations, back to work.
Most policies are the same if not similar to the majority of policies promised by other parties.
The One Nation campaign took a major hit when candidate Aoi Baxter — initially defended as a minor distraction — was revealed to be the subject of a UK arrest warrant over an alleged sexual offence.
He was swiftly dumped from the election, reinforcing concerns about vetting and candidate quality.
