One Nation coalition prediction by former Queensland premier Campbell Newman

A FORMER Queensland premier has predicted the next state government would have to rule in partnership with One Nation.

Former premier Campbell Newman. Picture Kym Smith

FORMER premier Campbell Newman has predicted the next Queensland government would have to rule in partnership with One Nation.

Speaking on Sky News with fellow former premier Peter Beattie on Monday night, Mr Newman predicted Pauline Hanson’s party would win between six and 11 seats at the next State election.

His comments come after the latest Galaxy Poll in The Courier-Mail on Saturday showed One Nation remained on 16 per cent with neither of the major parties holding a commanding lead.

“So the next government in Queensland will have to be a coalition government with One Nation,” he said.

“You can talk preferences all you like. They are going to win enough seats.”

Mr Newman said One Nation would win six seats and potentially rival the 11 seats it won in 1998.

“I think it’s because Pauline Hanson is an older and wiser politician than 20 years ago,” he said.

“I think she is playing it well to date.”

Mr Newman said he believed a similar trend was happening in polling like occurred in the United States where voters were not revealing their first preference for the Right-wing outfit.

“I think that people aren’t telling the truth, as they didn’t in the US, in terms of polling,” he said.

Mr Newman said Ms Hanson would likely favour the LNP in a minority parliament and it was up to Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls to clarify whether he was prepared to form a partnership with One Nation.

“I suppose that is where her sympathies would ultimately lie wouldn’t they?” he said.

“So Tim Nicholls might be the next Queensland premier but he is going to have to confront that issue and he is going to have to answer in the media, isn’t he.”