Federal election 2022: Pollies and experts react to Christensen’s latest gambit

George Christensen won’t gun for the seat of Dawson in what one political science guru has labelled an ‘anticlimactic’ end to a colourful career. Read the reactions to the bombshell move.

George Christensen has been called a lot of tough things in his colourful career as a federal MP and now there are more to add to the list following his shock move to One Nation.

His third spot on the One Nation Queensland Senate ticket after Pauline Hanson and former Adani executive Raj Guruswamy means he will almost certainly not be elected.

Griffith University’s Dr Paul Williams said Mr Christensen’s gambit was an “anticlimactic” way to end his career.

“In 2019 at the height of the anti-Labor anti-Greens populism in Queensland, they (One Nation) couldn’t snare a second seat,” he said.

“They’re not going to do it now after the 2020 implosion in the state election.

“They are more or less wasting George’s magnetism.”

Dr Williams said Mr Christensen would have had a real shot at claiming Dawson if he had run for the lower house, but his Senate move makes him a “footnote to an interesting election”.

Dr Williams predicted Dawson would remain a safe LNP seat with Mr Christensen off the ballot and One Nation’s candidate Julie Hall would not be elected.

“There are only two candidates who could win in Dawson – Pauline Hanson and George and even for George it would be an uphill battle,” he said.

Dawson’s Labor candidate Shane Hamilton has called Mr Christensen a “bludger” and said Mr Christensen’s move proved One Nation was the LNP “in disguise.”

“One Nation has always voted with the Coalition. It’s an LNP-One Nation coalition,” he said.

“He’s there to help ScoMo ultimately.”

One Nation Senate candidate George Christensen in Mackay on April 12. Photo: Daryl Wright

The swell of derision directed at Mr Christensen is bipartisan, a rare display of mutual agreement in an increasingly heated election battle.

Queensland Senator Matt Canavan, a Nationals firebrand opposed to vaccine mandates and net zero climate change commitments, called Mr Christensen’s move “cowardly.”

“Just to go off and speak in the echo chamber of a minor party is always ineffective, it always fails and this one will to,” he said.

Groom MP Garth Hamilton was equally dismissive and thanked God there was “only one George Christensen”.

“I think quite frankly it’s a bit of a slap in the face for the party members who put him in that role,” he said.

“He should take that position very seriously.”

Mr Christensen rejected claims he was “traitorous”.

“That’s nonsense,” he said alongside Senator Hanson and Senator Malcolm Roberts at a press conference heralding his realignment.

Mr Christensen said the thing he had betrayed in his position as an LNP member was his own conscience.

He said the Coalition’s commitment to net zero and its approach to Covid made his position with the LNP untenable.

He acknowledged victory would be unlikely.

“If the only job that I do is helping Pauline (Senator Hanson) get back in there in the Senate and maybe bringing a friend along with her in Raj Guruswamy, then that’s a job done,” he said.

“Because Pauline has been a warrior for common sense conservative issues and I think that with the likely prospect of an incoming Albanese government, as we’re seeing all the polls showing, we need people like Pauline in the Senate as sentinels there, to stop bad laws and bad policies from affecting everyday Australians, their families, their communities and our country.”

The Nationals’ Dawson candidate Andrew Willcox said he respected what Mr Christensen had done for the community in the past.

“I thank George Christensen for his service to the constituents of Dawson,” he said.

“Now I’m the new candidate for the LNP and I’m out listening to the community and use my leadership and skills to look after the people of Dawson and that’s my focus at the moment.”

In a pitch to anti-vaccine mandate voters, Mr Willcox said he was fully vaccinated but pro-choice.

He also said he could support a royal commission into the handling of the Covid pandemic.

“Depending on what the cost is and the scope of it,” he said.

Originally published as Federal election 2022: Pollies and experts react to Christensen’s latest gambit