The Antipodean Observer – The shifting dynamics of business engagement

Globally, the conservative right is no longer a fringe protest movement and today this rings true in both the UK and Australia. The shift away from mainstream politics is becoming a durable electoral force reshaping the political landscape, drawing voters away from traditional centre-right parties and forcing businesses to rethink how they engage with politics and public sentiment.

For some this new world will feel like a scene from the movie Inception, famous for its dream-world sequences where cities fold in on themselves, gravity shifts, and the environment constantly changes shape and physics. However, in our world there is a way through this new dynamic.

In Australia, Pauline Hanson and her One Nation movement have moved from the margins to the mainstream of conservative politics. The recent Farrer federal by-election was a watershed moment. One Nation secured its first lower house seat in the federal parliament, capturing a traditionally conservative electorate after the collapse of support for both Liberal and National candidates. The byelection was triggered following the ousting of former Liberal leader, Susan Ley. 

At the recent South Australian state election in March, One Nation eroded the vote of the Liberal Party picking up nearly 23%, enjoying a swing of more than 20%, and four seats for its efforts. The results followed growing defections from Coalition ranks, including prominent Liberal figures disillusioned with what they see as an out-of-touch political establishment.

The same dynamic has been playing out in Britain and perhaps it’s no coincidence that Nigel Farage has been beaming into Australian living rooms in a weekly live broadcast on Sky News. Farage has transformed Reform UK from a Brexit-era insurgency into a genuine electoral challenger. Reform’s sweeping gains in the recent local council elections, taking councils from both Labour and Conservatives, marked what Farage called a “historic shift in British politics”. The party’s success is increasingly fuelled not just by protest voters but by former Conservative supporters, ex-party officials and working-class voters who believe the major parties no longer represent their economic or cultural concerns.

The parallels between Hanson and Farage are striking. Both built political brands around anti-establishment rhetoric, scepticism of globalisation, immigration concerns and distrust of political elites. Both are master communicators who bypass traditional gatekeepers through media performance and direct voter engagement. Most importantly, both understand that many voters now see politics less through the lens of ideology and more through identity, sovereignty and economic insecurity.

Neither leader fits neatly into old left-right categories. Their appeal lies in translating frustration into simple, emotionally resonant messages. For mainstream conservatives, this presents an existential challenge. In both countries, centre-right parties risk losing voters on two fronts: to populists on the right and to moderates in metropolitan centres. For business, the rise of these movements carries several implications.

First, populist conservatism is no longer a temporary disruption. Companies that dismiss One Nation or Reform supporters as fringe or uninformed misunderstand the scale of the shift. These parties are increasingly attracting middle-income suburban and regional voters, small business owners and skilled workers who feel economically squeezed and culturally ignored.

Second, the political environment is becoming more volatile. Issues once considered settled such as net zero targets, ESG frameworks, migration policy and global trade settings, are being reopened for debate. Businesses operating in sectors exposed to regional communities, energy, manufacturing, agriculture or infrastructure should expect growing political pressure from both sides of the ideological divide. The challenge will be how to engage without endorsing.

Third, corporate communications strategies must adapt. Many organisations have spent the past decade focusing heavily on progressive stakeholder expectations, particularly in metropolitan markets. But the electoral success of Reform and One Nation suggests that large parts of the electorate increasingly distrust institutions perceived as lecturing or disconnected from everyday concerns.

That does not mean abandoning values or embracing populism. It means listening more carefully. Businesses need to engage with these movements pragmatically rather than treating them as politically untouchable. Ignoring parties with growing electoral mandates risks creating blind spots in policy engagement and stakeholder management.

The lesson for corporate leaders is not that the conservative populist right will necessarily govern. It is that these movements are now shaping the policy agenda regardless of who holds office. Immigration, energy affordability, regional inequality and national identity are becoming central business issues, not merely political talking points.

The rise of Hanson and Farage reflects something deeper than electoral cycles. It signals a broader loss of trust in institutions and a growing demand for political movements that promise disruption over consensus. Businesses that understand this shift early and engage respectfully with all parts of the electorate will be better placed to navigate an increasingly fragmented political environment.