We One Nation
entering into a strange jumble of energy in the foyer of Pauline Hanson’s feature-length, police-guarded, anti-woke film in Nipaluna (Hobart); we asked the crowd why they showed up.
Last month we spoke to people attending Pauline Hanson’s feature-length, police guarded anti-woke film screening in Nipaluna (Hobart). Recent polls suggest a supposed increase in One Nation’s popularity. We think this says more about the bridging of two dumpster fires; Australia’s crumbling two-party political system and the never-ending attempts of those with insane amounts of money to distract us from the work of making life better for us all. Those most likely to gather around this inferno are the working people desperately trying to make sense of the very real issues they face.
We entered into a strange jumble of energy in the foyer of the cinema. A group of young people dressed in impeccable anime cosplay brush past a few 50-somethings - most of them clad head to toe in R.M.Williams, old Tassie money yapping away with the 3 cops standing guard out front. It’s not a great venue for a film screening - let alone One Nation’s ‘anti-woke’, eye watering 100$-a-ticket animated feature;
‘A Super Progressive Movie’.
In the lead up to the launch, the host company Event Cinemas had initially cancelled the controversial movie then overturned that decision at the last minute. Just the day before in Naarm (Melbourne) scuffles had broken out between film attendees and counter protesters resulting in private security assaulting protesters.
This led to Event Cinemas avoiding having attendees gathering in any large numbers out front - Pauline included. She slid through an underground carpark - then through a back door whilst a small army of private security guards ushered people inside as they arrived, their wall of nervous eyes constantly scanning.
It was all quite ironic given the whole idea of the movie was to antagonise the ‘aggressive and unbearably woke left’. We have seen in the past how important it is for Pauline to perform her own victimisation and point to the straw-men she needs for her politics; confrontations, offensive stunts, and yelling matches have always been the spectacle (or ‘truth!’) One Nation followers find themselves drawn to.
Reviews would later comment that the movie was just a mess of hollow offensive jokes incoherently strung together as if they were globs of cheap glue; the experience described as “watching someone wrestle a coat rack and declare victory.”
We wandered into the lobby of the cinema and asked a few people that were attending what they thought about One Nation.
LAMA: “So what brings you here tonight, what are you excited for?
- “Well, I wanted to come and see Pauline Hanson, I’ve never ever voted for her in the past but I’ve decided she’s really standing up for the country. It’s got to go in a different direction. You know Tasmania, we’re very good here but if you look at Victoria or what’s going in other states, it’s out of control and that’s why I’m here, to see what it’s all about. “
LAMA: “And what do you mean by out of control?”
- “With the machete violence, gang violence and very little being done about it, you see.”
LAMA: “Do you think a lot of that has to do with immigrants and the migrant community?
- “Absolutely. Well it’s obvious when you look at it. You can see where it is. But I’m here to have a look and see what she’s got to say.”
LAMA: “So you’re here to be convinced?”
- “Absolutely.”
In the last year - One Nation has significantly benefitted from an increasingly poisoned social media landscape where privately funded lobby groups like ‘Advance’ have been revealed to pour millions of dollars into spreading content aimed at polarising and shifting Australian politics to the right through disinformation.
Similarly, ‘Australians for Prosperity’, which ran a relentless campaign against the Greens, Labor and Teals, was found to be almost entirely funded by the coal lobby.
And then there is Pauline herself - breaching senate rules by failing to disclose private jet charters gifted to her by none other than billionaire Gina Rinehart. Not long before this - Pauline and One Nation were caught bargaining for political donations in exchange for them eroding Australia’s gun laws.
It’s not just about Pauline and her reactionary politics - nor the proud culture of racism and xenophobia that surrounds her. There is a clear chemistry between
One Nation and big business, revealing itself through endless attempts to prevent any progressive political or social change that might make things better for normal people (like better hospitals and schools).
LAMA: “You haven’t made up your mind?”
- “Well I’ve never supported her in the past, so I’m just here to have a look. The world is changing and it’s happening not only here, it’s happening in Canada, it’s happening in the UK, and it happened in America with Donald Trump.
The average person has just had enough of all the craziness in the world.”
LAMA: “Do you think the craziness should mean we should pivot to people like Pauline?
Is that the option? Do you think she’s a bit like Trump in a way?”
- “Oh, definitely. Absolutely. But we’ve just got to look at alternatives.
Looking for alternatives is understandable. The two-party system has been dying for years, and it’s difficult to overstate the extent to which mainstream politics has failed people. They are doing it tough. One Nation is fixated on growing its two dimensional and reactive politics through the opportunity of recent events - in particular the Bondi shooting, Invasion Day rallies, and Anti-Genocide protests.
The media cycle delivers endless images of cruel and indifferent violence into the eyes of its viewers - and politicians seize the opportunity to craft new (and old) words and reasons to persuade us that the aggressive ‘solutions’ they propose are good ones - whether it be new legislation that undermines our democratic rights to protest -
or even more police powers and oppressive gadgets that will somehow make us feel more safe in a troubling and complicated world.
LAMA: “Is what attracts you to Pauline the fact that she isn’t afraid to call things out?“
- “She speaks the truth.”
Capitalism’s true form is a string of contradictions; of soaring wealth amidst dizzying inequality. Pauline and her party take advantage of this chaotic and polarised world by feeding into it for personal gain. The woman who has never been afraid of ‘speaking the truth’ has found a small, yet promising opening - it just so happens to involve nestling deeper into the pockets of billionaires that see divisiveness as a useful tool; stopping people finding the clarity and unity to challenge those who benefit from the challenges they face.
That money flows not only through political donations, but into privately owned media and social media companies that are happy to make a buck - or a trillion.
*
The foyer empties out and the security guards begin to loosen their shoulders. Their chatter joins with the lively crackle of the next batch of butter drenched popcorn.
We realise that, ironically, having been too broke to go in, it had all become quite boring.
What we thought was going to be an evening of excitement and perspective - turned out much like every other reactionary and divisive thing One Nation has ever tried to do, a series of splashes in an otherwise cold, muddy and uninspiring swamp.
We are reminded of these limits, and that even though One Nation may well succeed in being able to contest the May elections here in Tasmania - their utter lack of creativity, humanity, meaning and (especially) humour will not only plague their growth - but continue to provide us with the opportunities to provide those things at the grassroots level.
It can be difficult sometimes to remind ourselves - but we can start working at building the kinds of things soulless political parties could never provide;
Joy, connection, meaning, inspiration, and importantly - space for all that to emerge.
LAMA was created out of a need for such a space; to organise, to tell our own stories. To honour our differences while addressing the root cause of our collective struggles. Our networks have brought together unions, NGOs, activists and the wider community. After all, this is not a left-right series of issues, this is one battle; us versus the ultra rich.*** solidarity forever ***
xx L.A.M.A. editors xx
*full interview transcript*
LAMA: “So what brings you here tonight what are you excited for?
PERSON 03: “Well i want to come and see Pauline Hansen yeah um i’ve never ever voted for her in the past but i’ve decided she’s really standing up for the country, it’s got to go in a different direction okay, you know Tasmania, we’re very good here but if you look at Victoria or what’s going in other states, it’s out of control and that’s why I’m here to see what it’s all about. “
L: “And what do you mean by out of control?”
P3: “With the machete violence, gang violence and very little being done about it, you see.”
L: “Do you think a lot of that has to do with immigrants And the migrant community?
P3: “Absolutely. Well it’s obvious when you look at it. You can see where it is.
But I’m here to have a look and see what she’s got to say.”
L: “So you’re here to be convinced?”
P3: “Absolutely.”
L: “You haven’t made up your mind?”
P3: “Well I’ve never supported her in the past, so I’m just here to have a look. But the world is changing and it’s happening not only here, it’s happening in Canada, it’s happening in the UK, it’s happening everywhere. And it’s happened in, it looked like it happened in America with Donald Trump when he got in.
The average person has just had enough of all the craziness in the world.”
L: “Do you think the craziness should mean we should pivot to people like Pauline? Is that the option? Do you think she’s a bit like Trump in a way?”
P3: “Oh, definitely. Absolutely. But we’ve just got to look at alternatives.
You guys are too young. How old are you?”
L: “I’m 26.
P3: “Yeah, I’m triple your age. And you’re just a baby. For sure. And you go to school. It’s not education. It’s brainwashing. You’re going to do jobs. They’re training you for jobs.”
L: “I agree on a lot of these points, actually.”
P3: “There will be no jobs for anyone highly educated with people dealing with computers and that. AI is going to take the lot. The world is changing. There’s a great picture in 1910 I think it was in New York City. They took a photo and there was heaps of horses and carts in the street and in the corner there was one car. Ten years later they took the same photo and there was all cars and one horse. The world is changing and … Unless you’re smart, you’re going to be left behind.
L: “Is what attracts you about Paulinel the fact that she isn’t afraid to call things out?“
P3: “She speaks the truth.”
_________
L:So what are you excited about the premiere?
P1: Well I’m just interested to see what the storyline is. I’ve always enjoyed the Please Explain series.
L: Okay. And you like Pauline Hanson’s takes on politics?
P1:Yeah I’m very interested in politics.
L: Are you excited to be here tonight? -
P1: I like politics. - So that’s probably it. - Yeah, you’re into your politics? - Yeah. -
L: And do you think any of the views are a bit controversial, a bit hot?
P1: No, I think it’s fairly mainstream.
L: Becoming more mainstream?
P1: I think so, yes. The problem is that Labor and Liberal have gone too far to the left and she’s bringing it back to where the Liberal Party used to be.
L: Do you think she’s more of a Liberal spokesman?
P1: Yes, yes.
L: Do you think she’s pulling a bit of the Liberal vote?
P1: Hopefully she’ll muffle the Liberals back to where they belong.
L: Do you think she’s a bit of a Trump-like politician?
P1: No, I wouldn’t say so.
L: Okay. You reckon she uses a few of the similar like playbooks?
P1: Possibly, yeah.
L: Okay. Well, I’d be interested to hear your take on it after the film.
We’re not going to get in there, but...
P1: Oh, you didn’t buy tickets?
No. Yeah, and how much for the tickets?
Were they a fair bit?
P1: A fair bit, yes. $100.
L: $100?
P1:Yeah, yeah.
L: How do you feel paying $100 to see it?
P1: Well, that’s fine. I mean, it costs a fair bit to bring. to produce.
No doubt they want something to prop at the end of the day.
P1: Is it a fundraiser? I would imagine so.
L: Well, interesting. I hope you take something away from it. Thank you.