Why Howard’s battlers are turning to Hanson
Feb 21, 2026 •
This week Pauline Hanson declared there are “no good Muslims” and renewed her call for a ban on people from Gaza and other so-called “terror hotspots”. After a backlash from across the community she has since walked back her comments on Muslim Australians, but her track record for stoking racial division remains intact.
It’s language that was once politically toxic. Now it’s cutting through with a whole generation of voters who feel they’ve been dudded by the promise of prosperity through hard work alone.
Today, Director of Strategy and Analytics at RedBridge Group, Kos Samaras, on the voters once known as Howard’s battlers, why more of them are turning to One Nation, and the forces reshaping Australia’s political centre and the social fabric of its democracy.
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.
Why Howard’s battlers are turning to Hanson
1826 • Feb 21, 2026
Why Howard’s battlers are turning to Hanson
This week Pauline Hanson declared there are “no good Muslims” and renewed her call for a ban on people from Gaza and other so-called “terror hotspots”. After a backlash from across the community she has since walked back her comments on Muslim Australians, but her track record for stoking racial division remains intact.
It’s language that was once politically toxic. Now it’s cutting through with a whole generation of voters who feel they’ve been dudded by the promise of prosperity through hard work alone.
Today, Director of Strategy and Analytics at RedBridge Group, Kos Samaras, on the voters once known as Howard’s battlers, why more of them are turning to One Nation, and the forces reshaping Australia’s political centre and the social fabric of its democracy.
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.
Guest: Kos Samaras, Director of Strategy and Analytics at RedBridge Group
Listen and subscribe in your favourite podcast app (it's free).
7am is a daily show from Solstice Media.
It’s made by Arielle Richards, Atticus Bastow, Chris Dengate, Daniel James, Krystal Keller, Nicole Johnston, Travis Evans and Zoltan Fecso.
Our theme music is by Ned Beckley and Josh Hogan of Envelope Audio.