On Monday morning, August 25th, 2026, One Nation candidate Luke Herdegen began his campaign day for the Secret Harbour state by-election in Western Australia with a run and swim along the beach south of Perth. Herdegen expressed enthusiasm for the campaign, saying, "It makes me feel alive, especially when the weather is like this."

Secret Harbour has traditionally been a safe seat for the Labor Party, but One Nation is seeking to change that dynamic. Western Australia's One Nation leader Rod Caddies, campaigning alongside Herdegen, stated that the party is taking a different approach this time. He supported decisions made by party leadership, noting, "Her decisions are her decisions, and I support her doing that because she obviously feels that she's not being treated the way she should be."

Caddies also addressed the party's limited media access, explaining, "I think that's coming back to that reason why Pauline hasn't let ABC in," referring to the party's leader Pauline Hanson. He added that some view Pauline Hanson and One Nation as racist and not supportive of certain causes.

Herdegen acknowledged his past mistakes but emphasized personal growth: "I've certainly done some things in my past that I'm not particularly proud of, but I'm certainly proud of the person that I've become and the character that those things have built in me and the people that I've been able to inspire through that."

Former journalist Peter Kennedy, with over 40 years of political reporting experience, described the by-election as "the most significant in some time," highlighting the importance of the contest.

The campaign continues amid a charged atmosphere, with indications that "there's definitely a storm brewing," reflecting the tense political environment.

Sources