Feeding the rich, poor fed to wolves. Well done Angus!

Perhaps it’s no surprise that Opposition Leader Angus Taylor would seek to jump on the orange bandwagon by cosying up to One Nation, and emulating Trump, since the PHONies’ recent surge in popularity and the Libs’ ever-plunging support.

It is surprising, however, given former Liberal Leader Peter Dutton’s Trumpian ways led to his devastating election loss when the Liberal Party he led at the time was throttled and he was unceremoniously evicted from his seat. It was the worst election result for the Coalition in 80 years. Since then, apart from his “jobs-for-the-boys” appointment to the Queensland Investment Board, no one has seen or heard from Pete or asked his thoughts on much at all.

Angus’ latest Far-Right approach is also surprising given Labor’s ability to pick up all those centrist Liberal Party voters, often referred to as the Liberal Party’s “base”, who have felt abandoned ever since Dutton parroted Trump.

It is also surprising, given the ability of the Teal Independents to gain so much ground in hitherto Liberal Party heartland.

It’s perhaps even downright suicidal given predecessor Sussan Ley’s inability to hold the Coalition together and remain leader of the Libs, largely because of the Nats' hard-line Trumpian approach to climate change, for instance.

And let’s not forget that when Senator Pauline Hanson and her band of racists first burst onto the political stage in 1997, she had already been expelled by the Libs for racist comments about First Nations Australians. John Howard, for all his many faults and utterly unbearable though he was, at least had the good sense to put her horrid little Party last, despite its electoral success at the time.

After all, this was the time during which the Liberal Party at least still pretended to be a “broad church”.

Why Pauline Hanson's One Nation will never win government

Don't believe the News Corp bots, Pauline Hanson's One Nation failed dismally in South Australia — and will continue to fail in every subsequent election.

The fact that One Nation would not even be enjoying its current electoral success were it not for the Coalition directing its preferences there appears to have been lost on Rhodes Scholar Taylor and his fading Shadow Cabinet.

Nonetheless, apparently learning little from the bin-fire that is the slow and steady implosion of the party he now leads, Angus went for it on two fronts and to hell with the consequences! These can basically be summed up as, Let’s openly and obviously favour the wealthy and throw the poor to the wolves. And then, let’s blame foreigners! How very (ahem) original. Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus!

1. TAYLOR-ED FOR THE WEALTHY, THROWING POOR TO THE WOLVES

Taylor chose to oppose every single Government measure in his budget reply.

He also promised that, if elected, he would index the income tax scales to the inflation rate, which would cost approximately $250 billion in the first ten years alone.

As Stephen Koukoulas wrote on IA, it is a ‘quaint idea’ that won’t work because:

While the specifics of the promise are scant, the concept is that once a year, the various income tax scales are increased by the amount of last year’s inflation rate.

At the moment, when wages rise, which they do every year by an average of about 4-5 per cent, many workers move to a higher income tax bracket, meaning that a larger part of the pay increase they receive is taken away with tax.

Indexing income tax scales — another bad idea from the Coalition

The Coalition’s plan to index income tax scales to inflation may sound fair on paper, but critics argue it risks fuelling inflation, blowing out the budget and tying the RBA in knots.

It will create further bracket creep, increase inflation and only add to the budget deficit and government debt. But no matter. Rich people will still benefit — and that’s the main goal, of course. Fantastic. Great move. Well done, Angus!

Those already at the top end, like Taylor, whose personal property portfolio is so convoluted, it was described by the Sydney Morning Herald as 'opaque and labyrinthine'. The wealth of the Opposition Leader and his one-percenter mates will continue to grow and will also be more secure. How … unsurprising.

2. LET’S BLAME “FOREIGNERS”

Then there’s the hatred and othering — a long-held weapon of the elites used to divide and conquer the masses.

Taylor, whose recent comments centred on whipping up as much fear and loathing as possible, as quickly as possible, lifted phrases straight from the One Nation playbook — which are also lifted straight from the Trump Land playbook.

Buoyed by One Nation’s recent electoral success, Angus claimed he wanted to “restore Australians' standard of living” and “protect our way of life” and then pointed a well-used index finger at the proverbial, yet unspecified, migrant threat:

“Our borders have been open to people who hate our way of life.”

That covers, well, anyone at any given point in time.

Behind Angus Taylor’s immigration plan is a Trump‑like economic agenda

Angus Taylor's immigration plan is inextricably linked to a Trumpian economic agenda.

This prompted Pauline to pipe up with something like, Hey, stop copying me!.

(It’s unclear if Donald Trump has said words of similar effect to Pauline.)

Undeterred, Angus continued on his merry path of Far-Right populism, refusing to rule out forming government with One Nation and happily telling all who would listen that his door is “always open” to Pauline and her ramshackle group of misfits.

Asked by the media about Taylor’s latest diplomatic move, PM Albanese said:

“The door isn’t open — there’s no door. They’re in the same policy room.”

Albo shreds Angus who admits his door is open to One Nation
“The door isn’t open, there’s no door. They’re in the same policy room”
Tells Angus he should “go into any hospital & ask what would happen if we got rid of everyone who works but wasn’t born in Australia” #auspol pic.twitter.com/weTbSNBQih
— stranger (@strangerous10) May 19, 2026

The PM added:

"There are now three right-wing parties in Australia, advocating policies that aren’t in the interest of social cohesion. Speaking about Australians as if they’re separate from migrants."

Indeed, it appears there are.

This editorial was originally published as part of the Independent Australia weekly newsletter. Subscribe to IA to access all our work from as little as $1.15 per week and help power our journalism throughout 2026.

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