Labor Rises in Australia as One Nation Stumbles; Trump's Approval Remains Underwater

Australia political landscape is seeing a significant shake-up, with the Australian Labor Party (ALP) gaining crucial ground in recent opinion polls. This surge follows a dip in support for the populist One Nation party, which experienced a backlash after leader Pauline Hanson controversial remarks on 'monoculturalism'. The traditional Liberal-National Coalition, meanwhile, continues to face record-low approval ratings. Separately, in the United States, former President Donald Trump approval ratings largely remain underwater, contradicting any notion of a significant recovery. One Nation primary vote had seen a rapid ascent, reaching over 30% in some polls after the federal budget, but this momentum reversed following Hanson's June 17 speech at the National Press Club. There, she controversially declared that Australia 'must be monocultural', blaming high migration for national identity issues, which drew widespread scrutiny and saw the party's primary vote drop to between 26% and 29%. The Liberal-National Coalition, under leader Angus Taylor, has been unable to capitalize on One Nation decline, with their primary vote stagnating around 17-23%. Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie has even publicly challenged One Nation and expressed his own nuanced views on 'multiculturalism', indicating internal party tensions. With an Australian Federal Election approaching, the shifting voter preferences suggest a redefined political battle, particularly between the ALP and One Nation in many electorates, rather than the historical Labor-Coalition contest. The coming months will reveal if the Coalition can find a strategy to reclaim public confidence, or if these current polling trends signal a lasting realignment in Australian politics, impacting everything from social cohesion policies to economic direction. Observers will be watching closely to see how these dynamics play out.