Progressive campaigners and unionists are being advised to avoid personal attacks on Pauline Hanson or labeling her a racist, as part of a strategic shift in response to the growing support for her One Nation party. This change comes after One Nation achieved notable electoral successes in recent state and federal byelections, including in South Australia. The guidance is being shared through training sessions led by the Trades Hall Council, the main union body in Victoria, and the progressive campaign group GetUp. These sessions emphasize that attacking Hanson directly might inadvertently push people toward One Nation by failing to address the legitimate economic concerns of voters. Previously, GetUp had spent significant resources on advertisements that personally targeted Hanson and her deputy, Barnaby Joyce, by linking them to Donald Trump. However, these efforts had limited success, as One Nation won the Farrer byelection comfortably. Following this, GetUp and Trades Hall have shifted their approach, based on research from the polling company Redbridge. The research found that personal attacks on One Nation’s leadership without addressing voters' concerns can alienate potential supporters. Oscar Kaspi-Crutchett, a senior researcher at Trades Hall, noted that ignoring Hanson’s controversial views on race is not a viable strategy and that focusing on economic issues could be more effective. Campaigners are also being told not to immediately bring up Hanson’s billionaire benefactor, Gina Rinehart, unless the topic arises naturally in conversation. While it is acknowledged that Rinehart financially supports Hanson, focusing on this relationship is seen as a partisan attack and could provoke defensiveness. Senior Labor figures, though not named, have supported these changes, arguing that personal attacks on right-wing politicians, such as Peter Dutton during previous elections, were not effective. A recent campaign by GetUp, which displayed a banner behind Hanson during her National Press Club speech, was criticized for being unproductive, as it included both factual and symbolic content about her record on wages and cartoon images of money. Trades Hall and GetUp are encouraging unionists to focus on economic issues that resonate with voters, particularly in areas where the Labor movement has strong public trust, such as working conditions, entitlements, and maternity leave. They advise against fact-checking conspiracy theories and instead redirect conversations to the economy. In June, the head of Trades Hall Council, Luke Hilakari, criticized 23 state Labor MPs and candidates for not engaging with their constituents, urging them to work harder to counter One Nation’s influence. Kaspi-Crutchett emphasized the value of direct, one-on-one conversations, noting that trust in politicians has been eroded and that grassroots engagement, such as a nurse speaking with voters, can be more impactful than high-profile political figures.