 Disenchanted rural voters attended her meetings in regional centres across Australia as she consolidated a support base for the new party.An opinion poll in May of that year indicated that the party was attracting the support of 9 per cent of Australian voters and that its popularity was primarily at the expense of the Liberal Party-National Party Coalition's base.Hanson's presence in the suburb of Dandenong, Victoria, to launch her party was met with demonstrations on 7 July 1997, with 3000–5000 people rallying outside.