Australia’s three main parties from the right of politics disagree on immigration policy, but are united in considering it the key issue of the summer.

The Liberals, led by moderate Sussan Ley, the Nationals, and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – enjoying the brightest polling moment in their history – are all keen to talk immigration.

Each party believes there are votes to be gained by attacking Anthony Albanese’s handling of population inflows.

One Nation is riding a wave of support, hitting 18 per cent in a November YouGov poll and 15 per cent in back-to-back Newspoll and Essential surveys.

Senator Hanson drew an estimated 700 people to a “Put Australia First” rally in Melbourne on Sunday to hear her catastrophising calls on the impact of “mass migration”, which hinted at white nationalism.

“Since I’ve been elected to parliament in 1996, I have seen the plan to divide us as a nation with multiculturalism,” the Queensland senator told the crowd.

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“This is what they’ve done around the world – divide us, say we don’t belong.

“Those activists will think that I’m divisive. I’m not divisive. All I’ve ever done is want to pull people together, to be proud of who we are.”

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Hanson’s firebrand views repel the mainstream, with a counter-protest on Sunday drawing almost as many people as the rally.

However, she appears to have won over former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who resigned from the Nationals on Thursday, seemingly to jump to Hanson’s populist third force.

As the alternative prime minister and lifelong moderate in the centre-right Liberal party, Ley’s views are far less extreme.

The Liberal Party links increased post-pandemic inflows to the pressures many face as the party focuses on the cost of living.

“My criticism of this government around migration policy is … not a criticism of any migrant or migrant community,” she told Sky News.

“There’s a massive failing of governments to build the infrastructure that our communities need and they’re rightly concerned about that.

“The commute from, say, western Sydney to the city is taking longer. Public transport’s less reliable, hospitals hard to find, housing estates not being built.”

The coalition is on shaky ground discussing multiculturalism, given Ley’s sacking of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price after comments made about Indian migrants.

Ley also faces the charge that she is being led by the right-wing faction of her party.

In mid-November, after the party ditched support for net zero at the same faction’s urging, potential leader-in-waiting Andrew Hastie signalled he wanted a tougher line on immigration.

In a Facebook post, he said he wanted to “cut Labor’s uncontrolled immigration. This needs to happen, and will be the next big debate”.

“If we lock down energy and immigration, we can win (the next election),” he posted.

With the coalition’s support in the doldrums, Ley has committed to releasing the opposition’s migration principles before the end of 2025.

“Issues around language and values form part of that conversation,” she told reporters in Devonport on Sunday.

Shadow home affairs minister Jono Duniam has floated stronger tests for aspiring migrants, an idea supported by Nationals leader David Littleproud.

“We as Australians can’t import the hate that permeates in some other parts of the world,” Littleproud told ABC’s Insiders.

“It’s important we make sure that when we do bring people from those challenged parts of the world, that they understand they’re coming here with responsibility: a responsibility to live up to the values and principles that our great country has been built on.”

Unlike citizenship applicants, migrants are required to sit a test but not to sign an Australian Values Statement.

-with AAP