Steve Dickson: former One Nation Qld leader will run for Buderim as independent

Former One Nation Queensland leader and Sunshine Coast MP Steve Dickson, who left politics amid a strip club scandal, will run in the upcoming state election.

Former One Nation Queensland leader and Sunshine Coast MP Steve Dickson has announced he will run as an independent at the upcoming state election.

Mr Dickson resigned from politics in 2018 after his involvement in a Washington strip club controversy, apologising for his actions and removing himself from the public eye.

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He tonight told Sky News Across Australia he would resume his political career at the October state election running again for seat of Buderim – only this time as an independent.

“I’ve thought about things for a very, very long time,” he said.

“I want the jobs created, I want free public transport on the Sunshine Coast, I’ve got a plan to make that happen.”

Steve Dickson was the leader of One Nation Queensland has previously served as the Member for Buderim, between 2006 and 2009, and Kawana, between 2009 and 2017.

The former LNP Minister would not commit on whether he would support either Labor or the LNP should he win Buderim and hold the balance of power after the state election.

“I would sit down with whoever the leaders are at that particular stage … but I would talk with everybody who has the opportunity to run this government and I would say, who is going to do the best deal for Queensland and the people of the Sunshine Coast,” he said.

Steve Dickson when he was Queensland One Nation leader, with Pauline Hanson’s chief-of-staff James Ashby. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Mr Dickson has previously served as the member for Kawana (from 2006-2009) and Buderim (2009-2017) electorates and was the minister for recreation, sport and racing under the Newman Government.

If elected again, Mr Dickson said he would campaign for better roads, public transport and schools across the Sunshine Coast.

“We are lacking an enormous amount of infrastructure on the Sunshine Coast … it’s public transport, it’s road infrastructure, it’s schools,” he said.

Originally published as Steve Dickson: former One Nation Qld leader will run for Buderim as independent