Can One Nation really upset the major parties? Why a 'reputation' test is looming for Pauline Hanson

One Nation's surge in the polls may pose a short-term threat to the Coalition – but the real pressure is on Pauline Hanson to reshape her reputation before the next federal election, according to a political expert.

The Liberals and Nationals' split has fuelled voter support for Hanson's One Nation, with a recent opinion poll suggesting she is now at the helm of Australia's second-most popular political party.

Although the growth of One Nation looms large over the Coalition, politics lecturer at Australian National University (ANU) Jill Sheppard said Hanson faces a political test.

LIVE: Follow all the red carpet arrivals, Grammys award winners here

READ MORE: New search for accused police shooter Dezi Freeman

"I think that the pressure on One Nation to articulate a case for being a serious opposition will be really tough on them," Sheppard told nine.com.au.

"They've struggled in the past to articulate a full policy platform."

"And at least on paper, they don't have the makings of a party that is ready to compete for government. The Coalition does have two years to get itself back on track if it wants to and if it's able to."

Another major test will be compatibility between Joyce and Hanson.

Joyce recently defected to One Nation from the Nationals after a "breakdown in the relationship".

There are also fears among Coalition ranks that other MPs will follow suit.

"That should bolster their brand," Sheppard said.

"But I think as a day-to-day concern, it makes life inside One Nation probably more difficult."

"I think there's going to be personality issues between Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson. How he gets along with Pauline Hanson, I think, will dictate how many others follow."

The Coalition has plenty of time to patch up its recent divorce before Australians revisit the ballot box in 2028.

Over the next two years, Hanson may need to make a decision: is One Nation a personality party or one built on strong policy?

The skyrocketing voter support for One Nation could incite a cultural shift inside the house that Hanson built, Sheppard said.

"At the moment, they seem to be doing better when she's keeping a lower profile," she added.

"That presents a series of challenging questions for One Nation about what kind of party they want to be going forward.

"Do you become less personality-based entirely and more like a traditional Liberal or Labor party? And if you do that, do you lose that agility and the intrigue that is helping One Nation in the polls at the moment?"

Sheppard suggests Hanson has undergone a reputation rehabilitation with younger voters, who aren't familiar with her policy history.

She said reputations can be "laundered" amid loud political noise.

READ MORE: What is the Nipah virus? Two confirmed cases spark airport screening across Asia

READ MORE: How to Choose 9News as your preferred source in Google's Top Stories

This could be the momentum One Nation is looking for and may be the key to it one day joining a major party – or even becoming the Opposition.

"They only have an idea of Pauline Hanson as someone who's talking about, for instance, immigration and house prices at a time when both major parties have assiduously tried to avoid making that connection," Sheppard said.

"For a lot of voters, that's what they want to hear.

"They want to hear simple answers, and without the stain of Pauline Hanson's reputation, One Nation is the only party that's doing that at the moment."

Deputy Liberal leader Ted O'Brien said while the research shows voters are fed up with the main parties, it was too early to call a major sea change in Australian parties.

"People aren't happy, with the two major parties... they can't be ignored," he told Today this morning.

"But at the same time we must be careful not to overly rely on them. It would have been around about this time last year that the polls had the Coalition winning the election.

"That didn't go too well."

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here