One Nation’s creator warns party needs a new strategy to survive

David Oldfield, the man who helped create Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and who has been accused of being her former lover, has declared he was “the brains” behind the party. He warned that without a clear change in direction, One Nation will fail at the next federal election.

Oldfield’s comments come as outgoing Australian Labor Party president Wayne Swan told the ALP national conference that One Nation now poses a major threat to Labor. Swan cautioned that the party’s growing war chest and shifting conservative support make it a serious electoral force.

Who is David Oldfield and what is his role in One Nation?

David Oldfield was a close adviser to Pauline Hanson in the 1990s and is widely credited with co-founding One Nation in 1997. He named the party, wrote its original platform, and served as its director. In a recent opinion piece in The Australian, Oldfield claimed the party was “my brainchild” and that Hanson was initially used as a “facade” for brand recognition.

Oldfield has consistently denied a romantic relationship with Hanson, despite her 2007 autobiography claiming they had a brief affair in Canberra in 1996. He failed a Channel 7 lie detector test on the matter, and Hanson has since said she “can’t stand him.”

What is Oldfield’s criticism of One Nation’s current direction?

In his opinion piece, Oldfield argued that One Nation has lost its way. He said the party was designed to win seats from Labor but is now “actively and aggressively discouraging support from traditional Labor voters.” He urged the party to stop playing the victim with the media and to adopt a clearer strategy.

“One Nation is akin to a living entity and it has five component parts. Its face is Pauline, its heart is its manifesto, its lungs seek the air of freedom, its soul is its supporters – its brain was me,” he wrote.

What is Wayne Swan’s warning about One Nation?

Outgoing ALP president Wayne Swan told the party’s national conference that One Nation is now Labor’s biggest electoral threat. He noted that the party has accumulated significant financial resources, including a $2 million aeroplane donated by Australia’s richest person.

“The wealth that used to sit behind the Liberal Party has found itself a new home, and it did not have to travel far,” Swan said. He warned that the culture war is “camouflage” for an old agenda of concentrating wealth among a few.

Swan will be replaced as ALP president by former frontbencher Kate Ellis.

What did Prime Minister Albanese announce for university students?

In a separate address on Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced an expansion of financial support for university students undertaking unpaid practical placements. The Paid Prac program, currently available to nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students, will be extended to include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, clinical psychology, pharmacy, podiatry, speech pathology, audiology, radiography, rehabilitation therapies and paramedicine.

“This is one of those reforms where it is hard to believe that it didn’t already exist,” Albanese said. “I’ve heard from students who had to go straight from their hospital placement to their part-time job, just to pay the rent.”

What does this mean for the next federal election?

With One Nation positioning itself as a key challenger to Labor, and the government focusing on cost-of-living measures for students, the political landscape is shifting. Oldfield’s warning suggests internal tensions within One Nation, while Swan’s remarks highlight the party’s growing financial muscle. The next election will test whether One Nation can translate its resources into seats, or whether internal divisions will undermine its momentum.

Frequently asked questions

Is David Oldfield still involved with One Nation?

No. Oldfield left One Nation in the early 2000s and has since been critical of its direction. He is now a political commentator and author.

Did Pauline Hanson have a relationship with David Oldfield?

Hanson claimed in her 2007 autobiography that they had a brief romantic relationship in 1996. Oldfield has consistently denied this, saying she “wasn’t his type.” He failed a lie detector test on the matter.

How much money has One Nation raised recently?

Wayne Swan warned that One Nation has accumulated a significant war chest, including a $2 million aeroplane donated by Australia’s richest person. He said the wealth that once backed the Liberal Party has shifted to One Nation.