Sydney - Australia could go to an election as early as August, the government indicated last night, as the latest opinion poll showed national support for the anti-immigration One Nation Party reaching record highs. Fresh from a resounding vote of confidence in the Queensland election, Ms Pauline Hanson said she had more than 80 candidates ready to contest both houses of parliament in any federal contest.
The poll shows that One Nation's support around the country has risen by two percentage points to 11 per cent, while backing for the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, and his coalition government has fallen to its lowest level since the last election in 1996.