The public’s distrust of the two parties, and the system in general, has become more pronounced over the last five years. Neither Labor or the Coalition have done anything to allay people’s fears, instead adopting some of One Nation’s (ON) policies.

Working class people’s lives have gotten harder, because wages have stagnated and the prices of basic goods and housing have continue to rise. People’s shopping baskets are lighter, but costing more.

Most young people have only experienced low wages and the loss of services.

People are scared, but also pissed off. This mood was palpable during COVID-19, but it never really went away after the pandemic restrictions lifted.

We are scared for our futures in a chaotic world, where governments wage continuous wars, and the climate emergency is getting worse.

The institutions people once believed in have betrayed them.

When people are in a state of constant anxiety, they look for the easiest answer.

That’s a factor in why ON won the by-election of the historically safe Labor seat of Secret Harbour in Western Australia.

But while ON likes to portray itself as a “protest” party — against the two major parties — its........

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