Test in West forces One Nation rethink on preferences

ONE Nation is considering shunning preference deals ahead of the Queensland election as it attempts to avoid a repeat of its performance in the West Australian poll.

Pauline Hanson arriving at Brisbane airport following the West Australian State election. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

ONE Nation is considering shunning preference deals ahead of the Queensland election as it attempts to avoid a repeat of its performance in the West Australian poll.

Queensland leader Steve Dickson said the preference deal between One Nation and the Liberal Party in WA was a mistake to be learned from, flagging the potential for a preference-free campaign in Queensland.

“The preference deal should never have happened but it did,” Mr Dickson said.

“You learn by those issues. The people want a party that’s just going to stick up for them. We will be going: ‘vote for One ­Nation’.

“We’re not going out there to do a preference deal with anybody.”

But Mr Dickson did not rule out a preference deal completely, with no formal discussions as yet under way.

One Nation national leader Pauline Hanson yesterday flagged the potential for any preference deals to be decided seat by seat.

“We’d definitely look at it (allocating preferences on a seat-by-seat basis),” Senator Hanson said.

“I’ll just have a talk with the others, with the executive about the strategy at the next election.”

Labor has ruled out any preference deal with One Nation but LNP leader Tim Nicholls has repeatedly said the Coalition Opposition would also decide who it will preference on a seat-by-seat basis.

One Nation failed to win a seat in the Lower House of the West Australian Parliament and was yesterday on track to win two Upper House seats, less than the party had hoped for.

The Courier-Mail has been told there is a push within Labor for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to hold the next election in February, in the hopes One Nation will run out of steam in Queensland by that time.

Mr Dickson, however, said things would be different in the Sunshine State as Queensland was not just One Nation’s birthplace but also its heartland.

He said the party was also spending more time combing over its next crop of candidates after losing five over the past few months.

Mr Dickson said, in contrast, the WA branch had been registered for only about 50 days so had not had the same luxury.

“In Queensland, One Nation is recognised. It has been a party for some time,’’ he said.