Luke Herdegen, the first One Nation representative to hold a seat in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, used his inaugural speech to declare that his party could one day govern the state and that he could potentially serve as premier.
His speech included a phrase that echoed federal leader Pauline Hanson’s inaugural speech to the federal parliament, in which she said Australia was at risk of being “swamped by Asians”. Herdegen said the nation was at risk of being swamped by immigrants.
“We will stand up against mass immigration if you try to swamp our nation with immigrants, and we will stand up about the cost of living if you try to waste our money on rubbish,” he said.
Herdegen said he hoped to secure more infrastructure investment for his electorate of Secret Harbour before predicting One Nation would one day win a state election.
“I stand here alone as the sole One Nation member of this Legislative Assembly, but I do not feel lonely because I know my friends are coming,” Herdegen said.
“They are not coming because they want to, although I am sure they do. They are not coming because the government is incompetent, although that may be true. They are coming because the people are sending them, and send them they should.
“The people are ready to send an orange wave through this chamber and every chamber in our nation.”
Herdegen reflected on the career of former Premier Sir David Brand who entered the parliament as the sole member of his party in 1945 and through a series of amalgamations and rebrands became the Premier of Western Australia in 1959 representing the Liberal party.
The state’s newest member of parliament said Labor had become complacent and out of touch with Western Australians as cost-of-living pressures continued to affect households. He also referred to issues including immigration and gender politics.
“Why does the government bring in an extra 100,000 immigrants when Australians are struggling to find homes? Why would they trust a government that doesn’t know the difference between a man and a woman, or a child and a cat?” Herdegen said.
The latter remark appeared to reference a widely disputed and often repeated claim used in debates regarding transgender rights.
Later in his speech, Herdegen said Australian culture valued direct communication and humour.
“Australians say it how it is and often insult each other in fun or as a term of endearment. For example: ‘You’re a flaming galah who couldn’t organise a sausage sizzle at Bunnings’, or ‘Mate, go back to New South Wales if you don’t like it here.’
“Australians are thick-skinned. We appreciate truth, laugh at ourselves, laugh at each other and laugh together to lighten the mood in tough times,” he said.
The next state election is scheduled for March 2029.
