Qld election 2020: One Nation rules out supporting Labor in minority government
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation created what the Premier calls a “recipe for chaos” after it revealed a preference swap agreement with north Queensland’s Katter’s Australian Party in a move that could impact the result in a handful of knife-edge seats.
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Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has ruled out supporting a Labor minority government as it revealed a preference swap agreement with north Queensland’s Katter’s Australian Party, a move that could impact the result in a handful of knife-edge seats.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who spent day three of the campaign in Townsville where Labor is desperately trying to hang on to three marginal seats, slammed the deal as a “recipe for chaos”.
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Pleading again for Queensland voters to deliver her a majority government, Ms Palaszczuk declined to say if she would accept supply from independent MPs and minors parties, like the Greens, if needed.
Senator Hanson confirmed One Nation would preference the Greens last on every how-to-vote card as the party, along with the KAP, double-down on the LNP’s decision to effectively put the Greens above Labor.
“Regional Queenslanders are crying out for proper representation at this election and if the Katters can help One Nation secure seats and vice versa, that will be a significant win for the regions, particularly those in the western and northern parts of the state,” she said.
With just days before candidate nominations close, there are currently five seats where both the KAP and One Nation have candidates.
It includes seats that were two-way fights between One Nation and Labor after preferences, including Thuringowa and Cook in far north Queensland, the marginal seats of Mundingburra and Whitsunday which the LNP hope to claim and the Labor-held seat of Rockhampton.
KAP leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter said the move with One Nation was about breaking the “stranglehold” of the parties that governed for the southeast corner by combining the power of minor parties in the regions and wield more influence on the crossbench.
“Whether consciously or subconsciously I think Queensland is begging for a hung parliament or minority government because the two party system hasn’t delivered,” he said.
Ms Palaszczuk slammed the deal and said she needed a majority to give Queensland “stability”.
“What we’re seeing is once again, a recipe for chaos in this state, let me say to Queenslanders one more time: I’m asking for a majority,” she said.
“A majority will give our state stability in a time when we need to focus on managing COVID as part of our health crisis, and at a time when we have a clear plan for economic recovery.”
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington, who said the deal struck between One Nation and Katter’s Australian Party was a matter for them, ruled out accepting support from minor parties or independents, even without a deal.
Labor and the LNP moved to sandbag key regional seats yesterday, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk making announcements across ultra-marginal Townsville and Mundingburra.
Ms Palaszczuk announced her government would splash $100 million on major expansions of TAFE facilities across Queensland, particularly in the regions, and would fork out $566,000 to upgrade the Murray Sports Complex.
Scott Stewart holds Townsville by 0.38 per cent while Les Walker, who recently replaced retiring Coralee O’Rourke in Mundingburra, will be trying to hold onto the 1.13 per cent margin.
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington was in Cairns spruiking the LNP’s commitment to manufacturing jobs, announcing the party would spend $20 million to help build Northern Australia’s largest ship-lift to land more defence contracts.
The seat in the state’s far north is held by Labor’s Michael Healy by a margin of 3.39 per cent.