Editorial: Parties must deliver results in regions to tackle One Nation

IF THERE were any questions as to why the Premier and her Opposition counterpart have been spending so much time in regional Queensland, a new Courier-Mail/Galaxy poll out today should clear things up.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with new minister Mark Furner. Picture: Jono Seale

IF THERE was any lingering doubt as to why Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Opposition counterpart Tim Nicholls have been spending so much time crisscrossing regional Queensland, today’s Courier-Mail/Galaxy poll should clear up the question once and for all.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party is back with a vengeance, and on current indications is set to snare a swath of seats across the state at the next election. At 23 per cent declared support, Ms Hanson is polling a touch above the 22.5 per cent of the vote her party achieved in 1998 when it last turned Queensland politics on its head.

And it is instructive to remember here that opinion polling prior to that election considerably underestimated voter support for One Nation – meaning that if the same holds true today we have moved from a two to a three-party system in this state, given the quite startling leakage of voter support from the mainstream parties.

As it was, in 1998 One Nation picked up 11 seats and finished second in 23 others, in the process coming close to becoming Queensland’s official opposition party.

If this is not a reason for both the Government and the LNP to be racked with sleepless nights then nothing is, and it will require considerably more than lip service and photo opportunities to convince regional voters in particular that their current disenchantment with major party politics is misplaced.

As this newspaper has been detailing for some time, regional Queensland and the urban fringes of our major centres are struggling to cope with the major structural shifts in the economy of recent years – with large parts of the state seemingly left behind while the southeast corner prospers.

In this regard it is possible to view a considerable portion of the One Nation vote not so much as a ringing endorsement of Senator Hanson’s populist cure-alls, but rather a cry of frustration at the failure of the major parties to meaningfully address the very real concerns of so many Queenslanders.

Attacking One Nation’s weaknesses and contradictions will achieve nothing in this climate, and may in fact only enhance Senator Hanson’s standing.

The only solution for both Labor and the LNP is to formulate and articulate workable policy that will make a difference.

This does not mean pork-barrelling regional centres with short-term bling, or introducing unsustainable make-work schemes or subsidies.

Rather it means developing and implementing a cogent and credible series of regional and industry blueprints that will make a real impact in the state’s regions over the medium term.

These are the sort of solutions that The Courier-Mail will be detailing in our second #goqld campaign, which begins on Monday – with a focus on the challenges and opportunities outside Brisbane.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Lachlan Heywood, corner of Mayne Road & Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND. (ACN 009 661 778)