Dick Smith backs Pauline Hanson’s plan for One Nation state election blitz

MULTI-millionaire Dick Smith has warned Australia will be “destroyed” if his new political ally Pauline Hanson’s policies aren’t taken seriously.

MULTI-millionaire Dick Smith has warned Australia will be “destroyed” if his new political ally Pauline Hanson’s immigration policies aren’t taken seriously.

The opinionated patriot and former Australian of the Year has today come out as a supporter of the One Nation leader, saying he is aligned with Ms Hanson on her tough immigration stance and other policy positions.

Mr Smith has offered to advise the new senator as she plans push for One Nation in key state and federal seats, and is due to meet with the first-time Senator before Christmas to formally offer his backing.

The former electronics retailer said he was drawn to work with Ms Hanson because population policy, which he says is “really important”, but Mr Smith has ruled out giving One Nation financial backing and said he will not join the party.

“I just have the plan to tell people that her population policy is right, otherwise we will destroy Australia” he said during an interview with Studio 10.

“What I’m saying is, why don’t one of the major parties take on her population policy because that would be sensible.”

The pair had an initial conversation last week, where Ms Hanson said Mr Smith “realised we agree on many things”.

“I support her policy on Julian Assange. I support her immigration policy. She says that she’s going to have a policy to help general aviation. I’ll certainly support that,” Mr Smith told the Daily Telegraph.

“I agree with her views on immigration numbers, that is about 70,000 a year, not 200,000. But I do not agree with her views on Muslim immigration.”

One Nation policies have struck a chord with Dick Smith. Picture: Tim Hunter

The former electronics retailer ruled out financially backing One Nation, but said he would “give her some suggestions” and help secure “tens of thousands of votes”.

“Myself and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots will come up with what needs to be done and I will give her some suggestions,” he said.

“I think she would get tens of thousands of votes from the aviation community because they have been let down by the ALP and Liberals.”

Mr Smith, who is passionate about curbing population growth, said he believes a tough immigration stance like Hanson’s would help young people afford houses.

He said he believes voters are “so disillusioned with our present party politics”, and that a One Nation candidates would win seats, particularly in Western Sydney, at the next state election.

One Nation is planning a major campaign in Western Sydney at the next state and federal elections. The party has similar plans in Queensland.

But One Nation has its problems as well.

In a scathing radio interview on Tuesday morning Ms Hanson declared she “cannot work with” One Nation senator Rod Culleton, and essentially announced the WA senator he had split from the party.

“He’s not a team player at all,” Senator Hanson told 2GB radio host Ray Hadley.

“We loves the limelight, he loves the publicity and he’s not really listening to the advice.”

Senator Hanson’s comments come after Senator Culleton voted against his party’s position a handful of times.

One Nation Party leader Senator Pauline Hanson thanks Mr Smith for his support. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

Despite the party’s fractured state, the One Nation leader has predicted a Trump-like wave of support for the conservative alternative across the nation.

“I think there’s a move on across the country for One Nation,” Ms Hanson told the Telegraph.

The controversial senator took to Facebook this morning to thank Mr Smith for his support.

“Like many other Australians, when Dick Smith took the time to listen to what I had to say and look at my actual policies he realised we agreed on many things,” she said.

“I look forward to working with him more in the future.”

In lending his support, Mr Smith acknowledged controversy around Ms Hanson’s views on Muslim immigration and past comments around indigenous Australians.

“People tend to say that she’s racist. So I asked her, does she think that she’s superior to other races? She said no,” he said.