Mark Nicholson quit criminal law to draw Pauline Hanson, now he’s running in Melbourne’s north. u1
Mark Nicholson: From Satirical Animation to the Victorian Upper House Ticket
The Transition to Politics
Mark Nicholson, co-founder of the Fitzroy-based animation studio Stepmates Studios and the creative force behind Pauline Hanson’s satirical web series Please Explain, was officially announced as One Nation’s lead upper house candidate for Victoria’s Northern Metropolitan region.
Appearing on News24 alongside host Andrew Bolt following the announcement, Nicholson cited two primary experiences that prompted his transition from a background in criminal law to formal political candidacy:
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Observations in the Courtroom: Nicholson stated that during his legal practice in Victoria, he observed a justice framework that he believed treated offenders leniently rather than enforcing personal accountability.
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Small Business and Regulatory Pressures: As an employer growing an independent animation studio, Nicholson stated that complex government compliance requirements and economic burdens placed undue strain on business owners and hiring capability.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ THE PATH TO CANDIDACY │
│ │
│ [ Criminal Law Practice ] ──► [ Courtroom Frustrations ] │
│ │ │
│ [ Stepmates Studios Co-Founder ] ───────► [ Regulatory Friction]│
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ [ One Nation Upper House Ticket ] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The Creative Engine Behind Please Explain
Nicholson established Stepmates Studios alongside creative partner Sebastian Peart. After entering the commercial broadcast space with the self-funded animated series Regular Old Bogan on 7mate in 2020, the studio was initially commissioned to produce a six-episode run of Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain in late 2021.
The digital series quickly expanded:
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Production Volume: The series has surpassed 100 episodes, produced on regular production cycles and distributed directly across digital platforms and broadcast segments.
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Direct-to-Consumer Messaging: The animation bypasses traditional editorial intermediaries, delivering satirical commentary directly to hundreds of thousands of digital viewers.
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Feature Adaptation: The team subsequently developed the feature-length project A Super Progressive Movie, co-written by Nicholson and Peart and produced with One Nation National Director James Ashby. Following the cancellation of a scheduled promotional launch at Australian Parliament House under the Department of Parliamentary Services’ event guidelines, the film saw its commercial debut earlier this year.
The Electoral Landscape: Northern Metropolitan Region
The Legislative Council’s Northern Metropolitan region comprises 11 lower house electorates—including inner-north strongholds such as Brunswick, Richmond, Northcote, Pascoe Vale, and Melbourne.
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NORTHERN METROPOLITAN: REGIONAL METRICS │
│ │
│ • Total Regional MLC Seats: 5 │
│ • Standard Upper House Quota: ~16.7% │
│ • Key Districts: Brunswick, Richmond, Melbourne, Northcote │
│ • Primary Campaign Platform: Community safety, fiscal │
│ accountability, small business backing │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Nicholson’s candidacy forms part of a broader slate unveiled by Senator Hanson, with his campaign platform focusing primarily on community safety measures, state debt reduction, small business regulatory relief, and government transparency.
Covering political communications and election campaigns across three decades reveals a clear pattern: the mechanics of political messaging undergo a generational shift every time a new medium disrupts legacy news cycles.
What makes Mark Nicholson’s transition from studio director to ballot paper significant is not merely a celebrity candidacy; it marks the complete merging of digital content production and formal political machinery.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ THE CONTENT-TO-CANDIDACY CYCLE │
│ │
│ [ Rapid Digital Satire (*Please Explain*) ] │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ [ Direct Audience Engagement & Trust Building ] │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ [ Bypassing Traditional Media Gatekeepers ] │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ [ Direct Conversion of Digital Viewers into Voter Base ] │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
1. The Animator as Campaign Strategist
In traditional campaigns, political strategists hire external creative agencies to produce 30-second television advertisements. With Please Explain, the creative producer was never just an outside vendor—he was shaping the exact tone, narrative arc, and populist imagery that defined how hundreds of thousands of online Australians consumed politics each fortnight.
When the content creator moves directly onto the party ticket, the line between campaign communication and candidacy dissolves entirely.
2. The Battle for Inner-City Territory vs. Regional Margins
Northern Metropolitan has historically been one of the most progressive progressive-voting enclaves in Australia, dominated by Labor and Greens representation.
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The Electoral Challenge: Securing a quota in inner-urban Melbourne requires bridging a wide demographic and philosophical divide.
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The Cultural Wedge: Nicholson’s presence on the ticket signals a deliberate attempt to contest the cultural conversation directly in the heartland of progressive politics, using the profile built through anti-establishment satire.
| Element | Traditional Political Campaigning | Digital Satire Model (Stepmates / One Nation) |
| Media Channel | Press conferences, televised debates, radio | Social media releases, animated shorts, unedited web streams |
| Message Delivery | Policy papers, press releases, formal soundbites | Humor, visual caricature, emotive cultural narratives |
| Candidate Sourcing | Union officials, staffers, corporate lawyers | Creative producers, online commentators, digital creators |
3. Structural Shifts in Upper House Voting
With legislative changes surrounding upper house voting mechanics and group voting tickets, minor parties face a substantially altered pathway to parliamentary representation. In a direct-preference environment, brand recognition and high-salience primary votes become paramount. Having a candidate whose visual style is already recognized across social feeds serves as an immediate visual asset for ballot recognition.
The nomination of Mark Nicholson illustrates how political communication has evolved from traditional press releases to serialized digital entertainment. Whether an animator’s cultural profile can translate into the formal quotas required to secure a seat in Victoria’s Legislative Council remains an open question for polling day.
What is indisputable, however, is that the tools required to build a political base in the modern media landscape have transformed—and the creators behind the screens are increasingly stepping into the political arena themselves.
For official voter enrollment details, candidate lists, and voting information for upcoming Victorian elections, refer to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). Further details regarding state electorate boundaries can be accessed via the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC).
A Question for Discussion:
How does the rise of self-produced political satire and digital creator candidacies impact traditional political journalism and voter engagement?
