US election: Pauline Hanson wants her party to take Queensland

Pauline Hanson is refocusing her attention on her home state of Queensland in the wake of Don­ald Trump’s victory.

Pauline Hanson is refocusing her attention on her home state of Queensland in the wake of Don­ald Trump’s victory, insisting voters needed a One Nation premier.

The rush of disaffected voters to Mr Trump in the US election has the Palaszczuk Labor government and the Liberal National Party eyeing Senator Hanson’s political force even more carefully ahead of the next state election, due before May 2018.

Senior figures from both major parties have conceded to The Australian that they will bleed some primary votes to One Nation.

Senator Hanson told ABC Radio yesterday that the Trump triumph showed Australia, and Queensland, needed change. “If it means we can get a One Nation person to lead the state of Queensland … I’ve got policies, I’ve got ­issues to try and get some ­prosperity back to Queensland, give people hope,” she said, denying she would abandon federal politics to fight at the state level.

In 1998, One Nation won 11 seats in the state parliament, one-quarter of the number required to win minority government.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Trade Minister Jackie Trad was pilloried by opposition MPs during question time yesterday over calling Mr Trump a “bigot” on Wednesday ahead of his victory.

However, Ms Trad refused to apologise. “It pained me to know my children would see … that someone who sought one of the highest offic­es in the world could look at fellow human beings in that way,” Ms Trad said.

A senior Labor source said Queensland voters were less dis­affected with the state government than they were with the US political elite, and the major parties federally. “One Nation is ­obviously a challenge we were ­already aware of,” the source said.

“It’s what happens when politic­ians don’t listen. But we’re already in a good spot … because the Premier is not exactly Hillary Clinton, an establishment person people hate. Instead, she’s seen as trustworthy and approachable.”

An LNP strategist said while the party might lose primary votes to One Nation, it would “hopefully” get them back through preferences. The strategist said the party’s vote wouldn’t be as strong at a state poll because Senator Hanson wouldn’t be running.