One Nation threat fails to materialise in Queensland election

ONE Nation was tipped to deliver a strong result in the Queensland election but has failed to increase its influence.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson speaks to media as she leaves the campaign party house in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, Saturday, November 25, 2017. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

IN THE end One Nation failed to deliver on its bravado ahead of the Queensland election.

Going in to Saturday’s poll, leader Pauline Hanson repeatedly tipped the party could replicate the success of the 1998 election when it secured 11 seats and possibly hold the balance of power.

While there are still a number of seats in play, it’s clear the party will be lucky to maintain its presence in parliament.

The night started with some promising results but One Nation failed to translate a surge in its primary vote into seats.

As the voting got underway Ms Hanson said she was confident the party would poll well but refused to speculate on the number of seats her party would win.

“This is going to be the real beginning and resurgence of One Nation,” she told AAP.

But the flow of preferences did not work in the party’s favour and it failed to make a mark.

The first blow came when the former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts lost the seat of Ipswich.

Soon after, Steve Dickson, the leader of the party in Queensland and its only sitting MP, lost his seat of Buderim.

Mr Dickson had held the seat since 2009 for the Liberal National Party until he defected earlier this year, but said boundary changes had complicated voting.

Media were blocked from entering a garage as Mr Dickson and Senator Hanson thanked supporters at a function in Buderim.

Media being blocked from entering the garage as Steve Dickson and Pauline Hanson thank supporters and try to find some positives #qldvotes @7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/wauDmDA64Q

— Ben Murphy (@BenBMurph) November 25, 2017

Sense of disappointment at the One Nation event as remaining supporters gather around to watch results - certainly not the results they’d hoped for @7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/GK0jebtAyd

— Ben Murphy (@BenBMurph) November 25, 2017

Although Mr Dickson virtually conceded defeat at the party function, Senator Hanson was still holding out hope of a miraculous turnaround.

“I still have faith in Steve,” she said while standing beside him in Buderim.

Senator Hanson also said preferences would flow Mr Roberts’ way in Ipswich.

“There’s still preferences and a lot of people don’t follow the how-to-vote cards,” she told reporters. “Where just going to wait and see.” But Mr Roberts conceded defeat shortly after.

There is still hope in Mirani where Stephen Andrew is looking more likely to be elected.

Mr Andrew is sitting on vote of 31.50 per cent with 69 per cent of the ballots counted. Labor is on 36.94 per cent and LNP is on 27.35 per cent.

Overall One Nation did manage to increase its vote in Queensland.

He’s in with a chance. One Nation candidate for Mirani Stephen Andrew is likely to be elected.

With about 67 per cent of the ballots counted, One Nation got about 13 per cent of the vote, which was up by 12.6 per cent from 2015.

Overall the Queensland election delivered a mixed result with Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk unable to claim victory.

Liberal National Party leader Tim Nicholls said there were between 10 and 14 seats in doubt, while the ABC was predicting about 12 seats in play.

While Labor is likely to come out ahead of the LNP, it may not secure the 47 seats it needs to claim a majority.

On Saturday night, Ms Palaszczuk said she would not form government with support from One Nation but did not rule out working with other parties or independents.

Mr Nicholls said the Premier should honour statements she made before the vote not to form a minority government.