Abbott Backs Hanson, Warns Joyce Against One Nation Jump in Surprise Political Reversal
Former PM softens stance on party he once fought, urging National MP to stay with coalition
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Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dramatically shifted his position on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, calling her a “good person” who has been “vastly more constructive” in recent years, while simultaneously warning his friend Barnaby Joyce against defecting to the party.
In an interview Thursday with ABC Afternoon Briefing, Abbott revealed a political about-face that contradicts his role as a key figure fighting One Nation within the Liberal Party during the late 1990s. The comments come as Joyce, a former deputy prime minister, publicly considers leaving the National Party for Hanson’s party.
“I think Pauline Hanson, in her second incarnation as a politician, has been vastly more constructive than she was back in the late 1990s,” Abbott told host Patricia Karvelas. “I have a degree of respect and liking for Pauline Hanson, who’s a good person.”
Abbott issued that praise while delivering a warning to Joyce.
“What we need is a strong alternative government, not more protest parties of the right,” Abbott said. “I’m a friend of Barnaby’s. I admire him. I can understand his frustrations, but I very much hope he sticks with the National Party.”
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The former prime minister’s stance represents a notable evolution from his earlier political career, when he worked to prevent One Nation from gaining traction within conservative ranks. When pressed by Karvelas about whether the possibility disturbed him, Abbott defended Hanson while emphasizing coalition unity.
“What we need at the moment is a good, strong coalition,” Abbott said. “That’s what we need.”
The interview aired as Abbott promoted his new book on Australian history, but quickly expanded into broader political territory. Abbott defended former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s role as ambassador to the United States, praised Rudd’s work securing a critical minerals deal, and backed Australian military involvement in Gaza.
On Rudd, Abbott acknowledged their differences while supporting the ambassadorship.
“Kevin has the pester factor, if I may say so,” Abbott said. “He is rather pestering, isn’t he? Which probably makes him particularly useful when you’ve got to lobby Congress.”
Abbott said a former prime minister can “usually do a very good job in Washington,” citing Kim Beazley and Joe Hockey as successful examples. He criticized coalition colleagues for attacking Rudd after what he characterized as a successful diplomatic achievement.
“It seems that Kevin really did mastermind this critical minerals deal, which I think is all to the good,” Abbott said.
The former prime minister also revealed his position on immigration levels, stating they are currently “too high” while simultaneously celebrating Australia’s immigrant character as one of three national pillars alongside Indigenous heritage and British foundation.
“From the beginnings of settlerdom, we have been an immigrant society, always have been, always will be,” Abbott said. “The fact that people can come to this country from anywhere and, provided they have a go, be blessed with an abundant fair go, is one of the great heroic aspects of our national life.”
Abbott declared he is “very pro-immigrant” while arguing the government should do more to encourage people to “live the words of the citizenship pledge.”
On environmental policy, Abbott opposed new government environment laws he believes will hinder development, despite government claims they will speed approvals.
“If it’s a choice between cutting emissions and economic growth, I think you’ve got to go for economic growth every time,” Abbott said.
The former prime minister supported Australian Defence Force participation in discussions about an international force in Gaza, saying Australian military personnel are “always useful and invariably good.”
“To be honest, the more Australia is involved in the affairs of the world, the better,” Abbott said, citing his own government’s military actions in Iraq, the search for MH370, and humanitarian operations on Mount Sinjar.
Abbott’s book promotion also generated discussion about Australian history, with the former prime minister defending his approach as balanced while acknowledging massacres including the Mile Creek, Appen and Coniston massacres.
“Indigenous history is not all about massacres,” Abbott said. “It’s about co-operation as well as conflict.”
He said he sought endorsements from prominent Aboriginal Australians, including a former Labor senator, to ensure the book treated historical injustices fairly. Abbott defended eyewitness accounts as more reliable than oral histories while not dismissing their importance.
“If you want to know exactly what’s happened, you need to go to the people who were there,” Abbott said, explaining his preference for contemporaneous records.
The interview highlighted Abbott’s continued political engagement despite leaving parliament, with his positions on Hanson representing perhaps the most striking evolution in his public stances. His comments about needing coalition strength rather than right-wing protest parties suggest concern about conservative vote fragmentation ahead of the next election.
Abbott’s defense of Rudd similarly demonstrated a willingness to cross party lines when he believes Australian interests are served, even while acknowledging personal tensions. His characterization of Rudd’s persistence as a diplomatic asset turned what could have been criticism into qualified praise.
The former prime minister’s immigration stance reflected an attempt to balance restrictionist concerns with celebration of multiculturalism, an increasingly difficult position as immigration emerges as a contentious political issue.
Abbott served as prime minister from 2013 to 2015 and represented the Sydney seat of Warringah until losing to independent Zali Steggall in 2019. He remains active in conservative political circles and foreign policy discussions.
His new book represents his attempt to present what he calls a positive account of Australian history that acknowledges mistakes without adopting what he termed “the black armband view.”
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