Queensland Election 2017: Jo-Ann Miller undermines Labor campaign

MAVERICK Labor MP Jo-Ann Miller has sensationally moved to undermine her own government’s re-election campaign in the critical final days, embracing One Nation matriarch Pauline Hanson on the hustings in Ipswich.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson and Bundamba MP Jo-Ann Miller together during campaigning in Ipswich on Tuesday. Picture: Darren England/AAP

MAVERICK Labor MP Jo-Ann Miller has sensationally moved to undermine her own government’s re-election campaign in the critical final days, embracing One Nation matriarch Pauline Hanson on the hustings in Ipswich.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has spent three weeks distancing Labor from One Nation, insisting she would rather relegate the ALP to the Opposition benches than do deals with the resurgent right-wing party or any other crossbencher.

Ms Palaszczuk ruled out deals ahead of the 2015 election before forming government with the help of Independent Peter Wellington.

But Mrs Miller yesterday moved to derail that message, embracing Ms Hanson and One Nation’s Ipswich candidate former Senator Malcolm Roberts in front of a travelling media pack at a pre-polling booth in the area.

She presented Ms Hanson with a gift of blue booties and a beanie for her new grandson and then laughed off questions about the political storm her actions would cause for Labor in the dying days of the election campaign.

“Just from one mother to another mother,’’ she said as journalists pressed her on why she was being so supportive of a key political rival, even inviting her to shelter under her tent as it rained.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson and Bundamba MP Jo-Ann Miller greet each other warmly in Ipswich. Picture: Darren England/AAP

“We’re all battlers together out here. When it’s pouring rain, we’re all under the marquee together. What am I supposed to do, let everyone be out in the rain and get the flu?’’

Senator Hanson endorsed Mrs Miller and suggested the maverick MP could end up leading the Labor Party after the election if the Premier didn’t change her attitude.

“She needs to change her attitude a little bit, or she may not be there,’’ Senator Hanson said.

“Maybe you’ll need to follow her around on the Battler Bus and tell her that,” Ms Miller replied.

It is the latest in a string of blindsides delivered by Ms Miller to the Premier since she was forced to quit the Cabinet at the end of 2015 after being demoted.

It comes just months after she accused Ms Palaszczuk of turning a blind eye to corruption during an explosive speech in State Parliament.

The Premier initially expressed her displeasure at the encounter.

“I’m not very happy about that, am I?” she said, before insisting she needed to get the full facts on the encounter. She then moved to downplay it at a press conference in Gladstone.

“Let’s not all jump to conclusions here, there’s nothing wrong with being nice,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Jo-Ann Miller is a member of my team and everybody on my team knows my clear views about no deals with One Nation.”

Ms Miller’s actions overshadowed what should have been a win for Labor when LNP Leader Tim Nicholls again stumbled over questions about whether he would do a deal with One Nation to form government should voters deliver a hung parliament on Saturday.

He answered “pass” when quizzed live on breakfast radio yesterday morning on this issue.

It came just days after he drew the ire of undecided voters at last week’s Sky News/Courier-Mail people’s forum when he also refused to give a yes or no answer.

Labor had been hoping his radio fumble would dominate the news.