The latest fractures within One Nation don't spell the end of Pauline Hanson or her party, according to an Australian politics expert.
Australian National University's Dr Chris Wallace told SBS News on Friday that the high drama between Senator Hanson and now ex-colleague Brian Burston is "typical" of minor party politics in Australia.
"We've seen this historically in other minor parties. It's part of the minor party theatre... Small parties are always volatile, very often they're built around a big personality, in this case it's Pauline Hanson."
Dr Chris Wallace talks to SBS News. Source: SBS News
Senator Hanson sacked the New South Wales senator on Friday following a bitter public feud but he is refusing to resign or make way for another One Nation candidate.
If Senator Burston remains in the Senate as an independent, it will reduce One Nation to two votes, leader Pauline Hanson and WA Senator Peter Georgiou. Senator Hanson will also no longer hold the balance of power.
But Ms Wallace said "[Senator Hanson] can be down and out one day [then] she'll pop up the next, depending on conditions, always thriving on the publicity and attention".
"How many crests and falls have we seen from Pauline Hanson and her party? She's one of those politicians that never seems to be killed off - politically - whatever happens."
Perhaps most importantly, Ms Wallace said One Nation voters are unlikely to be perturbed by the latest episode.
"People who vote for her don't ever expect a Pauline Hanson government, they expect Pauline to go into the Senate and stir things up in a way that they enjoy. [One Nation voters] love the theatre of Pauline."
Ms Wallace said the Coalition and Labor should be acutely aware of how and why voters are turning to minor parties.
"Whenever you get mass resentment, you get people looking for a breakout party, through which they can register their resentment, their unhappiness, and send the big parties a message."
"The big parties are slow on the pick-up... [They] need to be looking at the little parties as the canary down the coal mine... It's a message - lift your game."
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