Revealed: One Nation and LNP preferences in Qld to cause Labor election headache

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson just made it harder for Labor to get a foothold in Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Fortress Queensland.

In a move that will have implications for the federal election outcome, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation will preference the LNP in every seat in Queensland, making it harder for Labor to win crucial seats needed for majority government.

Senator Hanson will also receive the LNP’s second preference in the Senate vote, as The Courier-Mail reveals exclusive details on One Nation’s preference plans for the Sunshine State.

Without One Nation preferences it will be extremely difficult for Labor to get up in tight contests in Longman and Leichhardt, seen as two of the seats the Opposition has the best chance of picking up in Queensland.

Senator Pauline Hanson at a dairy farm in Singleton while campaigning this week. Picture: Sean Bell

The arrangement, which it is understood LNP Senator Matt Canavan helped broker, also all but secures Senator Hanson’s re-election, while party insiders hope it gives it an outside chance of picking up a second Senate spot.

One Nation will back LNP’s Terry Young in Longman, after its own candidate, as he and One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson formed a close working relationship in the family law inquiry.

“Labor’s lies” in “Mediscare”, pensioners and about One Nation in coal seats pushed the senator in making the decision, she said, with the Queensland preferences different to the party’s actions in other states.

While she will preference against some moderate Liberals in southern states, but backing Nationals in seats like Hunter to counterbalance the move, she has confirmed Queensland will be a different story.

Senator Hanson said voters made their own decisions on preferences and how-to-vote cards were suggestions only, but she made the decision because she did not want Australia to “lurch further and further to the left” under an Albanese government.

“Anthony Albanese can’t simply fly into Queensland and scare the hell out of pensioners with Labor’s lies that the current government will place them on the cashless welfare card,” Senator Hanson said.

“Nor can he get away with allowing his backbenchers in the Senate to tell coal miners that One Nation has taken away their right to permanent jobs in the industry.

“One Nation will place minor parties and conservative independents ahead of all major parties on our how-to-vote cards, but will recommend Queensland voters place the LNP ahead of Labor and the Greens.”

Labor needs to win seven seats net to gain government in its own right, making winning one to two seats in Queensland all but necessary.

Senator Hanson said she had a lot of respect for Mr Young for his common sense and conservative views.

Member for Longman Terry Young

“If One Nation can’t win the seat, Terry Young is the one I’d like to see win,” she said.

With One Nation preferences, about two-thirds of the party’s votes are likely to flow through to the LNP, while it could be closer to a 50-50 split with Labor without them.

One Nation received more than 13 per cent of primary votes in Longman in 2019, with those votes crucial as both major parties are polling less than 40 per cent.

In Leichhardt One Nation’s primary was 6 per cent, but the seat is expected to be a close contest with every vote counting.

The votes will also help shore up the margins in some central Queensland seats the Coalition was already expected to win.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday indicated there would be more information on One Nation preferences to come “particularly in relation to Queensland”.

“There’s different arrangements in different states and territories … but you know what, that’s just all politics,” Mr Morrison said.

Labor has maintained its stance on not doing preference deals with One Nation, with its campaign spokesman Jason Clare saying on Thursday the party had held no negotiations with One Nation at all.

“We have a longstanding principle of preferencing One Nation last and that has not changed,” he said.

Originally published as Revealed: One Nation and LNP preferences in Qld to cause Labor election headache