Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has officially launched businessman and former national weightlifting champion Luke Herdegen as its candidate for the upcoming Secret Harbour by-election, describing the local gym owner as the fresh face capable of challenging Western Australia’s political establishment.

The announcement marks the beginning of what is expected to become one of Western Australia’s most closely watched electoral contests, with both major parties and One Nation viewing the by-election as a significant test of voter sentiment ahead of the next state election.

Introducing Herdegen, One Nation said the businessman had been selected from a field of 88 applicants after impressing party officials with his business experience, community involvement and understanding of local issues.

The party highlighted his background as a former national weightlifting champion who now owns and operates several gyms across the Secret Harbour region, employing local residents and interacting daily with people from across the community.

“Over the last three years, running these gyms has given him the chance to get to know countless locals and hear firsthand what really matters to them,” the party said in announcing his candidacy.

According to One Nation, Herdegen’s direct connection with local families and businesses made him the standout choice to contest the seat, positioning him as an outsider prepared to challenge what the party describes as “career uniparty politicians”.

The by-election was triggered following the resignation of long-serving Labor MP and former minister Paul Papalia, who stepped down for family reasons after representing Secret Harbour for more than a decade.

Papalia’s departure has created an unusually competitive contest in a seat that had traditionally been considered comfortably Labor, but where the government’s support weakened significantly at the last state election.

Although Labor retained Secret Harbour in 2025, it suffered a substantial swing against it, while One Nation more than tripled its previous vote in the electorate, giving the party confidence that it can build on that momentum.

At the previous election, One Nation secured around 8.4 per cent of the primary vote in Secret Harbour—well above its statewide average—making the electorate one of the party’s strongest-performing seats in Western Australia.

Party leaders believe those numbers demonstrate growing frustration among voters dealing with rising living costs, housing affordability pressures and concerns about local infrastructure.

In announcing Herdegen’s campaign, One Nation argued Secret Harbour residents had experienced years of neglect from both Labor and Liberal governments.

The party claimed the electorate deserved a representative focused on local priorities rather than party politics, promising to campaign heavily on cost-of-living pressures, community services, infrastructure and law and order.

“Now it’s time for a real outsider to disrupt the status quo,” the party declared.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has also described the by-election as having implications extending well beyond a single electorate.

She argued that the result would provide an indication of whether Western Australian voters are prepared to embrace smaller parties amid growing dissatisfaction with the major political parties.

Campaigning has already become increasingly intense.

Political analysts expect housing affordability, mortgage pressures, transport infrastructure, health services and community safety to dominate discussion throughout the campaign.

Secret Harbour sits within Perth’s rapidly expanding southern growth corridor, where many residents have been affected by rising interest rates and increasing household expenses in recent years.

ABC election analysis has identified the by-election as one of the first major political tests of One Nation’s growing popularity in Western Australia following the party’s improved electoral performances over the past year.

Analysts note that mortgage-belt suburbs experiencing rapid population growth have increasingly become fertile territory for minor parties campaigning on economic pressures and dissatisfaction with established politics.

The contest is also attracting significant attention because of its potential impact on Western Australia’s broader political landscape.

Premier Roger Cook has publicly acknowledged Labor faces a difficult contest, while Liberal leader Basil Zempilas has indicated that any result reducing Labor’s dominance would be politically significant.

The Liberals have also confirmed they will place One Nation high on their preference recommendations, underlining the increasingly important role preference flows may play under Australia’s preferential voting system.

For One Nation, Secret Harbour represents more than an opportunity to win a single parliamentary seat.

The party views the campaign as another step in expanding its parliamentary representation following recent electoral gains elsewhere in Australia.

Earlier this year, One Nation achieved a historic breakthrough by winning the federal by-election in the New South Wales electorate of Farrer, providing fresh momentum for the party’s national campaign.

Party officials hope a strong result in Secret Harbour would reinforce the view that support for One Nation is expanding beyond its traditional regional base into suburban communities experiencing economic pressures.

Herdegen himself has built much of his public profile through the local fitness industry.

According to publicly available professional information, he has worked in coaching, gym management and business ownership for several years before entering politics.

His campaign is expected to emphasise his experience as a small business owner who understands the financial challenges facing families, employers and workers.

Unlike many career politicians, Herdegen has not previously served in Parliament.

One Nation believes that outsider status will appeal to voters seeking change after years of representation by the major parties.

The campaign is also likely to feature Pauline Hanson prominently.

As the party’s highest-profile figure, Hanson has continued touring Western Australia in support of local candidates, arguing that dissatisfaction with the political establishment presents an opportunity for One Nation to increase its influence in state politics.

Political observers caution, however, that by-elections often produce different voting patterns from general elections.

Lower turnout, highly localised issues and protest voting can all influence outcomes, making them an imperfect predictor of future statewide elections.

Nevertheless, the Secret Harbour contest is widely regarded as an important political barometer.

For Labor, retaining the seat would help reinforce confidence in the Cook Government despite recent swings.

For the Liberals, improving their primary vote remains a key objective as they continue rebuilding after previous electoral setbacks.

For One Nation, meanwhile, even a strong increase in vote share would likely be portrayed as evidence that its message on cost of living, government accountability and political reform is resonating with suburban voters.

With campaigning now underway, Luke Herdegen will spend the coming weeks attempting to convert his local profile into electoral support in what promises to be one of Western Australia’s most closely watched by-election campaigns of the year.