Mirani MP Stephen Andrew disendorsed by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party
A colourful One Nation MP has revealed how and why he was disendorsed by the Pauline Hanson-led party less than 100 days out from the Queensland election. DETAILS.
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Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party has confirmed it will not be endorsing one of its regional MPs at the upcoming Queensland election.
It comes after Mirani MP Stephen Andrew announced in a Friday night social media post that he was leaving One Nation and wouldn’t be standing as a candidate for the party at the upcoming election.
He stated he had received a letter from Senator Pauline Hanson earlier this week, while he was attending Budget Estimate Sessions in parliament, advising she had decided not to endorse him again as the One Nation candidate for Mirani.
According to Mr Andrew, the decision was not expected and had been made without any consultation or “right of reply”, less than 100 days out from the state election.
While expressing disappointment in the decision, Mr Andrew acknowledged he had never enjoyed a particularly close relationship with either Ms Hanson, with whom he had not seen or spoken with in 11 months, or One Nation candidate for Keppel James Ashby.
“To be honest, I’ve been so busy this year with my state-based work, that I’ve barely had a chance to speak with my own family, let alone party leaders,” he said.
“It’s disappointing, of course, but what can you do?
“I’m hardly the first member to be let go by One Nation and I certainly won’t be the last.”
A One Nation spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that Mr Andrew would not be endorsed as the ONP candidate for Mirani, stating had not completed the necessary paperwork in order to meet requirements.
“All candidates have to go through necessary steps to become a candidate,” the spokesperson said.
Mr Andrew said he was particularly disappointed he wouldn’t be able to continue his work in helping all the new One Nation candidates standing for seats in his region at the next election.
“They all are a great bunch of people and I wish them all the best,” he said, adding he would be talking with friends and family over the weekend, but had made no concrete decision yet on what his plans were.
“For now, my focus is on doing the job I was elected to do, which is to represent the people of Mirani to the best of my ability, and holding government to account.
“There are still two sitting weeks to go before the election writ issues and Labor is trying to ram through as many terrible new bills as it can, while they still have a chance.
“My job will be to stop them succeeding.”
Katter’s Australia Party chief executive and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said it was “common knowledge” on the Parliamentary grapevine that the Mirani MP had been unhappy with One Nation.
He confirmed the KAP would consider Mr Andrew should he put his hand up for their nomination, noting “Stephen would align with a lot of the KAP’s core values”.
“I’d heard whispers previously about Stephen not being entirely happy where he was,” Mr Dametto said.
“I just think it would be very hard to feel support as a one person MP in Queensland Parliament, it’s a lonely place on your own I would imagine.
“We’ve always, where we could, put him under our wing … Stephen’s probably voted with the KAP members of Parliament as a four seat block in the last two terms.”
Mr Dametto said the KAP was “not overly interested” in seeing Mirani return to either of the major parties come election season.
Mr Andrew has held the seat of Mirani since 2017, where he secured enough preferences to take the top job from Labor MP Jim Pearce.
He is the first Australian South Sea islander elected to the Queensland parliament and the only sitting One Nation member of a lower house in the country.
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Originally published as Mirani MP Stephen Andrew disendorsed by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party
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