LNP leader Tim Nicholls has the only credible solution if neither Labor nor the LNP secure a majority

QUEENSLAND Opposition leader Tim Nicholls has the only credible solution if neither Labor nor the LNP secure a majority after the November 25 election.

Queensland Opposition leader Tim Nicholls has vowed to play with the cards that Queenslanders deal in the election. Picture: AAP/Regi Varghese

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DESPITE the tumult, Tim Nicholls has the only credible answer to the question of what happens after November 25 if neither Labor nor the LNP secure a majority.

The Opposition Leader’s position is actually quite simple.

No Coalition. No shared ministry. But he’ll play with the cards that Queenslanders deal.

Annastacia Palaszczuk position, on the other hand, is much more vexed.

The Premier claims that unless voters give her what she wants, she won’t play anymore.

No deals, the Premier insists, even if that means going into Opposition.

Palaszczuk claimed the same before the last election but it turned out to be untrue.

And it would again if the numbers fall a certain way.

Queensland Opposition leader Tim Nicholls has vowed to play with the cards that Queenslanders deal in the election. Picture: AAP/Regi Varghese

The alternative would be to send Queenslanders back to election after election until they stop voting for minor parties which is a ridiculous proposition.

Little wonder Palaszczuk yesterday didn’t want to talk about the implications of her no deals declaration.

She once again dismissed questions as “hypothetical” even though everything said in an election is supposition.

The fact is Labor might be in a position to form a minority government and the LNP might not.

With the likely re-election of both Katter’s Australian Party MPs, who worked closely with Labor last term, and the remote possibility of a Green, it’s a distinct chance.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to hung parliaments.

But convention dictates that Palaszczuk would be required by the Governor to test her numbers.

And if the crossbench supports her, or doesn’t turn up, she’d govern.

Next it would be Nicholls’ turn to try.

Is Palaszczuk really claiming she’ll spurn centuries-old process and send Queenslanders back to the polls if Labor could get the numbers and the LNP couldn’t?

We’ve seen hung parliaments before. And, in the end, they all do deals.

Originally published as LNP leader Tim Nicholls has the only credible solution if neither Labor nor the LNP secure a majority