Tony Abbott backs One Nation preference deal and says Liberals can’t just be a ‘little less woke than Labor’

The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, and the Liberal president, Tony Abbott, have left the door open to a preference swap with One Nation ahead of the next election. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP View image in fullscreen The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, and the Liberal president, Tony Abbott, have left the door open to a preference swap with One Nation ahead of the next election. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP Tony Abbott backs One Nation preference deal and says Liberals can’t just be a ‘little less woke than Labor’ Liberals and Nationals grappling with surging support for Pauline Hanson’s party, which threatens to replace them as Australia’s main conservative party Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The new Liberal president, Tony Abbott , has backed preference deals with One Nation as he declared the party wouldn’t win the next election by being “slaves to focus groups” and just a “little less woke than Labor”. The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, all but confirmed he was open to such deals with Pauline Hanson , declaring the party was prepared to cooperate with “whoever we can to get rid of this rotten Labor government’”. The Liberals and Nationals are grappling with how to respond to the surging support for One Nation , which threatens to replace them as Australia’s main conservative party. Can the second coming of Tony Abbott resurrect the Liberal party? Or is it another step toward ‘self-destruction’? Read more The Liberals encouraged supporters to direct preferences to One Nation ahead of the independent challenger at the Farrer byelection, in part to avoid alienating their rightwing supporter base. It made a similar decision at this year’s South Australian election and in several seats at the 2025 federal election, breaking from the John Howard-era position of rejecting Hanson’s candidates. The strategy has caused unease among moderate Liberals, who fear that associating themselves with Hanson will make it harder to reclaim city seats lost to teal independents and Labor. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email In comments to the Australian Financial Review , Abbott said the conservative parties should replicate the approach of Labor and the Greens in directing preference to each other. “As a general rule, it makes sense for parties of the right to preference each other just as parties of the left have always done,” Abbott said. Guardian Australia has contacted Abbott for comment. In his new role as federal Liberal president , Abbott would be expected to be involved in discussions on any preference deals with One Nation ahead of the next federal election due in 2028. Asked about the former prime minister’s comment, Taylor left the door open to working with the rightwing populist party. “We will work with whoever we can to get rid of this rotten Labor government,” the opposition leader said. “I mean, people are angry around Australia. I see it all the t