Queensland election results 2017: One Nation loses state leader
THE battle for One Nation’s state leadership is set to begin, after Steve Dickson lost his Sunshine Coast seat.
QLD Election
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ONE Nation lost its state leader Steve Dickson last night, but there may not be much of a party to lead.
Both Mr Dickson and One Nation founder Senator Pauline Hanson admitted yesterday they had no leadership contingencies in place should the Buderim MP fall.
However, as the count came in last night One Nation had yet to secure a seat, but was polling strong in Mirani and had a chance with strong preference flows in seats such as Thuringowa and Lockyer.
Early figures had Mr Dickson placing second on 28.29 per cent of the vote, behind the LNP’s Brent Mickelberg on 35.4 per cent.
Former One Nation president Jim Savage, running in Lockyer, and former one-term Newman government MP Sam Cox, contesting Burdekin, had been talked about as potential leaders if they could win their seats.
“We’re not about to give it up, but it’s not looking good,” Mr Dickson told supporters at the suburban home where he held his election night function. Soon after he told them he was unlikely to win but he regretted nothing.
“The sun will come up tomorrow,” he said. “If we do get some members, if we get the balance of power, we will make a difference.
“I’m not going anywhere. If I was a smarter man I would stay in private enterprise.”
Senator Hanson said she was disappointed in the result, as she thanked Mr Dickson for his efforts.
“The vote is not in until the last vote is counted. It doesn’t look good now,” she said.
“I was defeated in 1998 and look at me now. You rise again from the ashes.”
In 2015 there was a 13.8 per cent swing to Labor in Buderim, but Mr Dickson under the LNP banner secured more than 52 per cent of the first preference vote. He defected from the LNP in January.
Senator Hanson earlier in the day said there were no plans for who would take over state leadership should he fall.
Mr Dickson also said that there were no leadership contingencies in place should he not be re-elected.
Originally published as Queensland election results 2017: One Nation loses state leader
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