Pauline Hanson‘s One Nation prepares succession plan

One Nation will attempt to ­broaden its reach beyond the personal appeal of Pauline Hanson.

Pauline Hanson in the Senate chamber. Picture: Kym Smith.

One Nation will try to ­broaden its electoral reach beyond the personal appeal of Pauline Hanson as it develops a succession plan to help future-proof its influence on the political stage.

With Newspoll showing One Nation’s primary vote falling from 10 per cent to 5 per cent in the past three months, The Australian can reveal planning is already taking place to attract higher-quality candidates to provide Senator Hanson with a long-term exit strategy and secure the party’s future.

Queensland senator Fraser Anning officially severed ties with One Nation yesterday, advising the Senate he would sit as an independent, with his departure reducing Senator Hanson’s bloc of senators from four to three.

Senator Anning, Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi and Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm have formed a “loose alliance” in a bid to strengthen their position in the Senate and will vote as a bloc on areas of ­mutual interest.

NSW Liberal senator Jim Molan was also sworn in yesterday, taking up the vacancy left by former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash, who was caught out after admitting she was a dual ­citizen under section 44 of the Constitution.

One Nation Queensland ­leader Steve Dickson told The Australian that Senator Hanson, who turns 64 this year, was the most recognised politician in the country, but said it was important to plan for the future.

He was “absolutely confident” One Nation could outlast Senator Hanson’s personal career in federal politics.

“The truth of the matter is we all grow older and the organisation, as it grows older, will ­become more sophisticated and have high-quality candidates, and that’s exactly what we’re doing to do,” he said.

“How you deal with it is natural growth. When you look at the Greens, we all think Bob Brown, but he’s no longer there. You think John Howard with the Liberals, but he’s no longer there.”

One Nation will field ­candidates in both the Victorian state election in November and the NSW state election due in 2019. The party has implemented a new vetting process to help weed out unsuitable candidates.

The new system is aimed at catching out any candidates with criminal histories and bankruptcy issues, as well as ensuring compliance with section 44 of the Constitution for all federal candidates.

Senator Hanson yesterday played down her party’s poor Newspoll result, which showed One Nation supporters migrating back to the Coalition, contributing to a lift in the government’s primary vote from 36 to 38 per cent since mid-December.

“I really don’t take much interest in the polls. I think the real polling day is on election day,” she said.

The Australian understands that Senator Hanson, who is serving a six-year term, intends to run again, but John Scales, managing director at JWS Research, said it was wise for the party to begin working on an early succession plan.

“They should already be doing it. It should be done,” he said.

Mr Scales said One Nation could find it difficult without Senator Hanson because she had her own ­“individual personal appeal” that was distinct from the party’s policy platform.

“I’ve done focus groups in ­regional, central and north Queensland where people say she speaks in our voice, she speaks in our language,” he said.

“That’s not the appeal of One Nation’s policy platform.

“That’s just the appeal of ­Pauline Hanson.”