'I've had enough': Why this loyal Labor voter is switching to One Nation

Silvana Rota has turned her back on the Labor Party in favour of One Nation. (ABC News: Nick Dole) Link copiedShareShare articleSilvana Rota is breaking the habit of a lifetime. "No way am I ever voting Labor again," she said. Born to Italian migrants and raised in Cabramatta West in Sydney's south-west, she grew up believing that only Labor would stick up for her. "[Mum] told me it's for the working class, for the poor people, so I did as I was told." Now, she thinks her loyalty has been misplaced. Ms Rota is frustrated with public transport services near her home in Edensor Park, describing it as a "black hole" for investment. Western Sydney is a key target area for One Nation. (ABC News: Nick Dole) Energy bills are another worry, especially in the warmer months. "Western Sydney gets so hot and muggy … and we have to run the air conditioning in summer all the time." However, her biggest concern is the lack of affordable housing, which has prompted her adult daughter to look for alternatives in Tasmania. "The young kids, what are they going to do? Just stay with their parents forever? Frustrated by a perceived lack of progress from both the state and federal governments, she is planning to switch her vote to support Paul Hanson's One Nation. After One Nation's victory in the Farrer by-election earlier this month, high-profile recruit Barnaby Joyce said the party would seek to claim more territory. "Western Sydney, here we come," he declared. Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce celebrate One Nation's win at the Farrer by-election. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi) The next opportunity to test support for One Nation in NSW will be the state election on March 13. With less than 10 months to go, One Nation still needs to select candidates and develop policies to present to the state's voters. While Australia's immigration policy is a matter for the federal government, Ms Rota said it would still influence her vote next March. And Pauline Hanson's push to dramatically reduce the number of new arrivals appeals to her. "My parents were immigrants. I'm not against immigration. "But why do we have so many coming in? How about we look after the people who are already here?" One Nation made new inroads into NSW parliament in 2019, with the election of upper house MPs Mark Latham and Rod Roberts. Mr Latham resigned his seat in 2023 and successfully sought re-election for a new eight-year term, with former Labor MP Tania Mihailuk filling the One Nation vacancy. However, all three have since quit the party. Antony Green, the ABC's veteran election analyst, said support for One Nation had a "peculiar pattern". "Which gives them some chances in parts of western and south-western Sydney, but their prospects would always be better outside of Sydney." For example, in the Labor-held seat of Cessnock, One Nation came second in the 2023 state election, recording 15 per cent of the primary vote. Mr Samaras says some outer Sydney seats will be vulnerable. (Peter Healy) Kos Samaras, a former Labor strategist and current director at political research firm RedBridge Group said One Nation would be buoyed by its recent successes. Outer Sydney seats like Camden and Penrith were also vulnerable, he said. "But as you come into Sydney, the situation for One Nation is a lot more challenging, especially up against the Minns government." Mr Samaras said the party would struggle to attract young, university-educated voters, and especially people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Jwan Alzuhairi says she can't afford to live by herself. (ABC News: Nick Dole) The 28-year-old lives with her parents and works in a fish shop in Liverpool. "I'm a single mum and I can't afford to live by myself," she said. "But I'm still helping them pay the rent." Ms Alzuhairi says locals will not support One Nation's calls to cut immigration. (ABC News: Nick Dole) While she shares the frustration of many voters about housing affordability, Pauline Hanson's message doesn't resonate with her. Ms Alzuhairi, who was born in Iraq, said many locals were proud of their diverse backgrounds and wouldn't support One Nation's calls for large-scale cuts to immigration. "I don't agree. I see it's a nice thing to be multicultural here," she said. According to RedBridge research, about 70 per cent of voters who speak a language other than English at home would support the Minns government in a two-party-preferred contest with One Nation. Mr Samaras said those types of voters viewed Labor as the party that can "best resist" One Nation. "These individuals, in very significant numbers, will gravitate towards the Minns government and inflate their primary [vote] in key seats," he said. While the premier has previously said he expected to lose votes to One Nation, the Coalition has even more at stake. Across the country, the Liberals and Nationals are already losing ground to Pauline Hanson's party. One Nation's Barnaby Joyce says potential candidate

'I've had enough': Why this loyal Labor voter is switching to One Nation

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