Former Rockhampton mayor didn’t mean to damage Premier’s campaign

PAULINE Hanson has questioned the motives behind former Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow running as an independent in the upcoming state election.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad with then Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow.

FORMER Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow says she didn’t mean to damage the Premier’s re-election campaign by announcing she’ll run as an independent.

A factional brawl saw Ms Strelow lose preselection to run for Labor in Rockhampton, despite having the backing of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

She’s told the ABC she didn’t mean for the Premier to be caught off guard by her announcement on Monday, and intended to call her but the rumour mill beat her.

“I absolutely intended to give her a call just before the press conference,” she told ABC radio on Tuesday.

“I’m very disappointed that that’s how it played out. We’re not besties or anything like that, but I admire the Premier immensely and I’m sorry if this is causing ructions in the campaign.”

ALP preselectors passed over the Premier’s pick for Rockhampton – where One Nation is posing a threat – in favour of public servant and old-guard faction candidate Barry O’Rourke.

Ms Strelow says she’s uncertain if she can win. She believes she’s in with a chance, but so is One Nation’s Wade Rothery.

“I think anyone can win, I think it’s anyone’s race,” she said.

“But if I thought I had absolutely no chance I wouldn’t be having a go.” Ms Strelow will be expelled from the Labor party and is yet to decide where to direct her preferences, “if at all”.

She says her run as an independent was driven by her determination to carve out a new, modern future for the beef capital of Queensland, including milking the Adani mine for all the jobs and economic benefits to be had.

She also says she could “sort of understand” why the Premier announced she’d veto a potential $1 billion taxpayer loan to help Adani build a rail line to get coal from central Queensland to the coast for export.

Independent candidate for Rockhampton Margaret Strelow.

“When people start alleging corruption, or something, for someone who takes their integrity so important (sic), I can sort of understand her reaction.”

But she says anyone who objected to taxpayer dollars from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility being used to help Adani should also object to any loan from that fund to private enterprise.

Ms Strelow sees One Nation leader Pauline Hanson “as a drum that is beating” but says policies are not driving support for the party.

“I think it is the desire to mix things up a bit; I think there’s frustration (among voters),” she said.

Senator Hanson hit back at Ms Strelow by suggesting that despite running as an independent she was “just another Labor stooge.”

“The fact is there are two Labor candidates running there (in Rockhampton) now,” Senator Hanson said.

One Nation has previously boasted about their chances of winning the seat following the retirement of sitting MP Bill Byrne.

Senator Hanson went on to slam Ms Palaszczuk after she failed to rule out forming government with the Greens or Ms Strelow should Labor win the election.

“What, so she’s happy to work with the Greens who are trying to destroy this state but they’re not going to work with One Nation?” she said.

“It just shows they’ve got no idea.”

Ms Strelow has resigned as mayor, with Councillor Tony Williams, chair of the Rockhampton council’s infrastructure committee, unanimously appointed interim mayor on Tuesday morning.

Originally published as Former Rockhampton mayor didn’t mean to damage Premier’s campaign