Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been too busy to “read the riot act” to her regional frontbenchers and candidates defying her direction to tell voters to put One Nation last, despite insisting on Tuesday she would.
Campaigning by the side of the Bruce Highway in the regional Queensland LNP electorate of Burdekin, south of Townsville, Ms Palaszczuk was again dogged by questions about several of north Queensland her frontbenchers, MPs, and candidates using material telling voters to “put the LNP last”.
It’s happening in seats where One Nation preferences could be crucial to help Labor candidates hold or win the regional marginal seats.
Asked whether she had “read the riot act” to her frontbenchers Brittany Lauga and Craig Crawford over their campaigns, Ms Palaszczuk said she’d delegated that to state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell.
“The party secretary has spoken to everyone, and everyone is under no illusion, and as they know by their how-to-vote cards, that One Nation is last,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said she was too busy to talk directly to her own frontbenchers about the issue.
“Mike (Brunker) and I had a good chat this morning. I’m very busy at the moment, we can divide our time quite equally.”
Ms Palaszczuk was asked whether she had a message for the unions – particularly the Queensland Council of Unions – running a campaign telling voters to put the LNP last.
“On our how-to-vote cards, the Australian Labor Party’s how-to-vote cards, One Nation is last, I’ve made it abundantly clear,” she said.
“We have Deb Frecklington doing deals with all of the other parties, that would be a recipe for chaos in Queensland. That’s why I’m asking Queenslanders for a majority so we can continue to do our job.”
“This is what I’ll say about the unions, the unions will stand up for working men and women across this state.”
Asked whether it was hypocritical to criticise the LNP for “doing a deal with One Nation”, when her frontbenchers and MPs were doing the same thing, Ms Palaszczuk did not answer.
“Let me make it very clear, our how-to-vote cards have One Nation last.”
Burdekin Labor candidate Mike Brunker is one of the rogue candidates, and flanked the Premier at the press conference near Giru on Wednesday.
Asked whether Ms Palaszczuk had read him the riot act, Mr Brunker – a former coal miner and mayor, now a newsagent and local councillor – said no.
“No, I haven’t, the Premier asked me yesterday to withdraw a (social media) post,” Mr Brunker said.
“The trouble I’ve got is a coalition of conservative chaos working against me…you’ve got the LNP, you’ve got One Nation, you’ve got the Katters, all sitting in a tent and having coffee.”
“I’m not defying the Premier at all, there’s me how-to-card, One Nation last,” he said, unfurling a print-out of his how-to-vote card from his pocket.
Pointed to the fact there are still posts on his social media with union material telling voters to put the LNP last, Mr Brunker said it was up to the unions what they did.
“I’ve put the word out on my Facebook page, so what they do, I’m still putting the word out…I’m quite happy with that,” he said.
Asked whether he’d need One Nation preferences to win the seat, Mr Brunker said he didn’t think he’d be getting any.
After the press conference, The Australian asked Mr Brunker whether voters should put the LNP last: “No, they follow my ticket”.
– Sarah Elks
