One Nation polling surge sparks fiery clash between Tanya Plibersek and Barnaby Joyce over voter anger

A sharp exchange between Tanya Plibersek and Barnaby Joyce has laid bare the growing political pressure facing Australia’s major parties as new polling shows One Nation continuing to gain ground with frustrated voters.

The pair clashed during a debate on Sunrise on Monday morning over a Newspoll showing Pauline Hanson’s party rising from 24 per cent support before the Federal Budget to 31 per cent, with both Labor and the Coalition facing criticism from voters struggling with housing affordability, cost-of-living pressures and migration concerns.

Asked about the surge, Ms Plibersek said Australians were demanding change and argued Labor was already delivering it through housing reforms, tax cuts and cost-of-living measures.

“We get it. We know that the system has not been working,” she said.

The Minister for Social Services pointed to Labor’s changes to housing policy, arguing the system had been “great for investors” but increasingly difficult for first-home buyers. She also accused One Nation of opposing key government initiatives, including cheaper childcare, free TAFE and energy relief measures.

But Mr Joyce said the polling reflected a deeper frustration with the political establishment, arguing voters were increasingly disillusioned with both sides of politics.

“That polling is the sound of the people,” he said.

“That polling are over Labor, and they’re over the Coalition.”

The former deputy prime minister accused Labor of breaking promises before the budget and said many Australians no longer trusted major parties to tackle the issues affecting their daily lives.

“They don’t trust you anymore,” he said.

“They don’t feel their lives getting better and they hear the talking points and they just go waffle.”

Housing and migration quickly emerged as key battlegrounds.

Ms Plibersek was forced to defend Labor’s migration settings, saying arrivals had fallen by 45 per cent since the government took office and arguing Australia still needed skilled migrants to fill workforce shortages in sectors such as aged care. She said Labor was simultaneously investing in training Australians through policies such as free TAFE.

Mr Joyce countered that migration levels were placing further pressure on housing, infrastructure and energy systems at a time when many Australians were already struggling to buy a home.

“The Labor Party (is) bringing in basically the population of Canberra this year without the houses being built, without the schools being built, without the hospitals being built,” he said.

The debate briefly descended into personal barbs when Ms Plibersek accused Mr Joyce of repeatedly interrupting her.

“You don’t like listening to women much, do you, Barnaby?” she said.

Mr Joyce responded, “Oh, of course. I’m a sexist, of course.”

The exchange underscored the growing political fight over the issues driving support towards minor parties, with housing affordability, migration and voter distrust emerging as central themes in One Nation’s rise.