Nationals preferencing of One Nation should offend Tasmanians, says Labor

TASMANIANS have a right to be extremely offended and hurt by the Nationals decision to preference One Nation third after comments about Port Arthur last month, says Labor.

TASMANIANS have a right to be extremely offended and hurt by the Nationals decision to preference One Nation third after comments about Port Arthur last month, says Labor.

Tasmanian Senator Steve Martin yesterday announced the Nationals would recommend voters preference One Nation ahead of Labor and the Greens in the Federal Election

Senator Martin said the party’s Senate How to Vote cards would recommend voters give their second preference to the Liberals and their third to One Nation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month vowed his party would put One Nation below Labor and the Greens on its how to vote cards.

Senator Steve Martin with One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson. Picture: MICK TSIKAS

His comments came after One Nation was caught trying to solicit foreign donations from gun lobbyists in exchange for efforts to water down firearms laws.

Party leader Pauline Hanson was shown suggesting the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre was part of a government conspiracy to wind back gun ownership. She later distanced herself from the comments.

Carol Brown says Tasmanians have a right to be offended by the Nationals-One Nation preference deal. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Labor Senator Carol Brown said this morning that preferencing her party below One Nation was “offensive” as it was a party “built on values and principles.”

“Tasmanians have a right to be extremely angry in the fact Senator Martin has decided to preference One Nation,” she said.

“One Nation campaigns on hate. It’s a party that is racist and seeks to build support on demonising people in the community.

“Senator Martin in his desperate bid to garner preferences has completely ignored the prime minister’s directive not to preference One Nation.”

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“What we have seen is a senator that has completely ignored Tasmanians where we have One Nation as Port Arthur deniers.

“Tasmanians should tell him to reverse the decision and Prime Minister Morrison must intervene and demand the decision be reversed.”

In Launceston, Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the deal had aligned Senator Martin with “a party of racists... and climate deniers”, while Senator Nick McKim -- who was only narrowly elected ahead of a One Nation candidate -- said the deal was “completely unacceptable in Tasmania of all places” because One Nation wanted to weaken gun control laws.

“This will harm Steve Martin’s campaign significantly and so it should,” Senator McKim said.