A big decision (stopping Hanson)

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Paul Ferris

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Feb 26, 2026, 8:11:22 PMFeb 26
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We have booked massive outdoor billboards in the specific electorates around the country that we know One Nation will be targeting at the n
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Email, with Pauline Hanson surging in the polls, I just made a big decision.

I've booked huge outdoor billboards, in key electorates across the country that One Nation is targeting, with a message that we know works to dent her support. And I've committed us before being sure we have the money to cover the costs, to make sure we don't miss our chance.

So I really need your help – can you chip in whatever you can afford to help us pull this off?

Here's the link: https://www.getup.org.au/stophanson

And here's what we're putting up:

Hanson billboard by a major road

Let me explain a bit more. A poll this week from the Guardian reveals that 25% of Australians say they'll vote One Nation at the next federal election. Almost 60% say they're open to it – even after Hanson's recent comments about Muslims.1 The prospect of Pauline Hanson becoming our next Prime Minister is no longer hypothetical.

We've all watched in horror at the huge breakthroughs of authoritarian, far-right leaders across the world in recent years. Now it's here in Australia. This is real.

So the team at Getup have been digging in and asking a hard question: what actually works? How can we actually stop and reverse the growing support for Pauline Hanson?

It's not about what fires up people like you and me, who already know the truth about Hanson. It's about figuring out what moves the voters who are considering her but haven't committed – the ones who will actually decide the next election.

Our research, and the best polling available, gives us a clear answer. When potential Hanson voters are shown hard evidence of her relationship with Trump, it cuts through. When they see what that network means – the billionaire class, the Gina Rinehart connection, the Mar-a-Lago access – her support starts to drop away.

So I made a big decision.

We were already planning to run bus stop ads attacking Hanson across the country – and we're still doing that. But now, we've also booked massive outdoor billboards – in the specific electorates around the country that we know One Nation will be targeting at the next election. They will deliver a tested message right to some of the most important voters in the country.

It's a risk for us to do this – big billboards in key marginal electorates cost real money. And I've had to commit without knowing whether we'll be able to cover the costs. But we know this investment is crucial, so we've gone ahead anyway.

And now I'm really hoping you can help. We need you behind us to make this work, so let me ask – can you chip in to make it happen?
Donate now
Our research shows that this surge isn't actually about Australians suddenly embracing far-right politics. It's being driven by frustration. People feel squeezed by rising rents, grocery bills, wages that aren't keeping up. And they feel unheard by the political system. Pauline Hanson is exploiting that frustration to build support.

And that creates an opportunity: because that support is rooted in grievance, it's not fixed. The right message to the right audience can still erode Hanson's growing support.

Pauline Hanson has spent thirty years building a brand as a "battler" – and right now it's working. Almost 60% of the country are at least open to believing it, despite everything we know about her private jet trips on Gina Rinehart's Gulfstream 2, her undeclared business interests 3, and her stays near Trump's Mar-a-Lago 4.

But we can cut through that brand with the truth, told loudly, in the right places, at the right time. This is that time – before her support solidifies – and I really hope you're with us.

Email, this campaign started with an open letter that I drafted over an afternoon two weeks ago, anxious about Pauline Hanson's rise. Now, it's much bigger – with 50,000 of us standing behind this campaign, and one of GetUp's biggest pushes in years.

There's lots of work ahead to turn this early momentum into sustained pressure and a successful push to stop the continued rise of One Nation and far-right authoritarianism in this country. One campaign won't get the job alone. And of course, we'll continue to work to push for strong, progressive solutions on some of the underlying issues behind Hanson's rise – not least the cost of living crisis, and to challenge her racism head-on.

But together, we're already making a real difference – and these billboards really are a key piece in the fight ahead. So together, let's get this done.

In solidarity,

Paul for the GetUp team

P.S. Our research is unambiguous: the Trump connection moves soft Hanson voters more than anything else. These billboards will get that message in front of the people who need to see it most, in the electorates that matter most. Please chip whatever you can.

References:
[1] 'Guardian Essential poll: more than half of Australians open to voting for One Nation despite Hanson's Muslim comments', The Guardian, 25 February 2026.
[2] 'Pauline Hanson failed to declare another flight from billionaire Gina Rinehart's company', The Guardian, 3 February 2026.
[3] 'Hanson fails to declare interests including company tied to 'anti-woke' movie', Sydney Morning Herald, 26 January 2026,
[4] 'Pauline Hanson skips parliament to speak at conservative conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago', The Guardian, 6 November 2025.

GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, donate now! We collect, store and use personal information and other data as set out in our Privacy Policy. If you do not wish to receive updates to emailnew...@googlegroups.com from us, please unsubscribe.

Our team acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet and work. We wish to pay respect to Elders - past, present and emerging - and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia and the GetUp community.

Authorised by D. Loasby, GetUp, 52 Reservoir St, Sydney.

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