When asked about her right-wing party's supporters in the ACT, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson told The Canberra Times where to find them.
"Go to the Kingo," Senator Hanson said after her National Press Club speech.
"I tell you what, I just get so many people come up to me, wanting their photos and talk to me and they're really pleased with me."
This masthead took her advice and spoke with a dozen patrons at the Kingston Hotel at lunchtime on Thursday, to test her theory and see if the national polling that put Senator Hanson as Australia's preferred prime minister held up in a safe Labor electorate.
Most expressed displeasure with the major parties, with many upset that the Albanese government was abolishing negative gearing on established residential properties.
Multiple groups of tradies shared that they had switched allegiances from the Liberal Party to One Nation, but declined to go on the record.
"I'd like to buy her a beer," one said.
Nick Barrenger and Stevie Taylor were having lunch when they agreed to be interviewed about their political views, and quickly confirmed they backed Senator Hanson - who they referred to as "the Donald Trump of Australia" - for prime minister.
"Australians are ready for a change of government," Mr Barrenger said. "Bring the vote forward and get her in ... It's good for the country."
The Albanese government's tax changes and immigration were top concerns for the duo, who said they felt Canberrans had been taken for granted.
"I think it's about time someone in Parliament starts actually, an Aussie looking after Aussies," Mr Barrenger, a construction worker and former Liberal Party voter, said.
Ms Taylor said Senator Hanson was "all for the people."
"She was right 30 years ago, and she's right now," she said.
Asked about One Nation's billionaire backer Gina Rinehart, who gifted Senator Hanson a private plane, the pair said they were not concerned about corporate influence over the party.
"Good on her," Mr Barrenger said.
"That's how it works in America, [how] politics is funded.
"At least she can go out and get to the regional towns where she needs to go, and not just worry about what's up the road here," he said, gesturing towards Parliament House.
Adam, another One Nation supporter who did not want his full name printed, said Senator Hanson appealed to him because she had "a working-class background" and spoke to his concerns about the cost of living and immigration.
"You feel like what she's saying is what she believes," he said.
He said Labor's tax changes, which broke an election promise not to touch negative gearing or capital gains tax, were a factor as he was looking at investing in shares after years of saving.
ABC Canberra Breakfast host Ross Solly polled listeners on Thursday morning and asked "if an election was called today, would you consider voting for One Nation?"
At 8.40am, 88 per cent of several hundred respondents had said no, while 12 per cent had said yes.
ACT Labor senator and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher told Solly that Senator Hanson's ascension was part of "a reorganisation of the right side of politics."
"But I also think, you know, people are under the pump," Senator Gallagher said.
"We're living in a very uncertain world. There's a lot of stress on people, cost-of-living pressures, all the rest of it. And so I don't [think it's] surprising ... We've got to stay focused on those issues for people and remain focused on them."
She said problem identification was "very easy to do in politics", while "finding solutions and implementing them" was harder.
Independent ACT senator David Pocock hit out at Senator Hanson's National Press Club address and her call for a monocultural Australia.
"Pitting Australians against each other is a distraction from the main game which is the Australian people versus vested interests," Senator Pocock said on social media.
"That's how we build a a political system and economy that serves us."
Canberra Liberals leader Mark Parton said this week that One Nation "is not a political party, it's a vibe."
None of the One Nation supporters who spoke to this masthead spoke in detail about the party's policies.
ACT Liberal Senate candidate Nick Tyrrell said he thought people were "fed up with career politicians, and that's just as true in Canberra as elsewhere."
"I'm focused on representing people who want a representative who is all about solving the problems other politicians just walk past," Mr Tyrrell said.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said in March that One Nation could win four seats at the 2028 territory election at the expense of the Canberra Liberals, after the party won seven seats at the South Australian election.
He based his comments on the results of a Demos poll of 8500 voters across Australia.
Since then, One Nation's popularity has surged higher, with a Resolve poll this month putting Senator Hanson ahead of Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister.
Senator Hanson said on Wednesday that 200 people had attended One Nation's first Canberra branch meeting.
"We've got strong support in Canberra," she said.
One Nation did not run candidates in the ACT at last year's federal election.
In 2022, the party received 2.5 per cent of the primary vote in Fenner, 2.7 per cent in Bean and 1.6 per cent in the seat of Canberra.
