Dick Smith: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation would win election on northern beaches

DICK SMITH says One Nation could win a state or federal seat on the northern beaches if the party puts forward a strong candidate - and, surprisingly, many of his friends would vote for them.

Dick Smith, at his Terrey Hills home. Picture: Troy Snook.

PAULINE HANSON’S One Nation party could win a state or federal seat on the northern beaches, according to millionaire businessman Dick Smith.

The Terrey Hills resident said if the right candidate was preselected, his friends would vote for them because it signalled a Donald Trump-style disillusionment with major party politics and agendas.

Mr Smith, 72, made the prediction hours after going public with his support of Ms Hanson, who has been criticised globally for her stance on Australia’s immigration.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson during Question Time. Picture: AAP.

“I couldn’t believe a number of my friends who live on the northern beaches. They were talking about how they were disillusioned with the major parties, and had turned to One Nation,” Mr Smith told the Manly Daily.

“I said, ‘You have got to be joking’.

“And they said if she gets someone to stand, we will vote for them. It is a Trump-like thing.”

Mr Smith said the push away from the political norm experienced in the Brexit vote in the UK and Donald Trump’s election in the US could continue to Australia.

He said he would not fund Ms Hanson’s campaign and had no intention of running under her party’s ticket.

However, he told the Manly Daily that most parts of the Queensland-based senator’s immigration policy were “spot on”, with the exception of a Muslim ban.

The former retailer was particularly enamoured with her plans to reduce the number of immigrants from about 200,000 a year to 70,000.

Malcolm Turnbull visits Belrose Bowling Club and Mackellar electorate with Jason Falinski.

“I admire her for that because, generally speaking, major political parties have perpetual growth ... it will completely destroy the Australian way of life,” he said.

“I believe in the future, with automation and robotics (but) we won’t have jobs for young Australians, let alone immigrants. We will have 50,000 people in Australia on food stamps, just like the USA.”

Mr Smith said he had no plans to run at the next election but would not rule it out.

A former Australian of the Year, Mr Smith pointed to the recent land release ­announcement at Ingleside and the rezoning of Frenchs Forest as an example of overpopulation.

“You can’t drive along Forest Way now. When this (Ingleside release) comes through you will give up an hour and a half to two hours to drive to the city,” he said.

“The whole thing is devoted to endless growth, which is impossible. The reason these major political parties are losing credibility is Australians know you can’t have perpetual growth in a finite world.

“Pauline seems to be the only one (politician) who gets it.”

David and Lisa Oldfield at their northern beaches home. Photo: Adam Ward.

Mr Smith said a growing frustration with the two-party system of politics could lead to a surge in local One Nation voters.

“If she stood a good One Nation candidate I reckon that from what I have heard there would be a chance of a person getting in,” he said.

“If it was a good candidate everyone would deny supporting them in surveys but in a secret ballot you could get a Trump factor, where people are so fed up that they could vote a Pauline Hanson candidate in.”

Mackellar federal Liberal MP Jason Falinski said he had regularly sought advice from Mr Smith and welcomed his contribution to Australian politics.

“I would hope that I have Dick’s support. If I don’t I will just have to work harder to get it,” Mr Falinski said.

However, he said he could not agree with Mr Smith’s stance on immigration and did not believe his constituents would either.

“As the son of a migrant I am not entirely supportive of zero net immigration as an answer,” he said.

Mr Falinski argued the changing political tide overseas was largely due to a lack of wages rising, which was not reflected on the peninsula.

A protest against Pauline Hanson appearing on the ABC's Q&A program last month. Picture: Kristi Miller.

“That is not the profile of the northern beaches. Most people are either retired, self-funded retirees, have tertiary education if not higher and are in jobs that are high-skilled jobs where salaries have continued to increase,” he said.

One Nation co-founder and peninsula resident David Oldfield scoffed at the notion the party could rule the northern beaches.

“Perhaps they will contend the next election but One Nation can’t win,” he said. “There will be plenty of people that may vote that way, but there isn’t enough support to win a seat. The notion is ridiculous,” Mr Oldfield said.

He said he had no ill feeling towards the party, or desire to see it fail but said he liked its chances in Sydney’s west and regional areas.

“They have the potential to do almost anything except win a seat on the northern beaches in our lifetime,” he said.

Ms Hanson’s office was contacted but did not respond to questions.