One Nation’s decision to preference the Liberals over Katters Australian Party at the Hinchinbrook by-election has made waves across the political spectrum from where a number of One Nation supporters have expressed disappointment and being unhappy with the deal.
Nor should they be. Gerard Rennick has questioned the political maneuver and Pauline Hanson’s independent credentials.
Bob Katter spoke to Hanson before the by-election also questioning the Liberal power play resulting in accusations from her that KAP had not preferenced ON at a previous election.
An investigation of how to vote cards by KAP revealed the claim was untrue.
It would seem the Liberals and Gina Rinehart have Pauline right where they want her. Murcoch’s Sky News has a regular spot for Pauline, her daughter Lee and Chief of Staff Ashby providing on-air appearances “that other politicians would kill for,” Rennick said.
Pauline has forgotten Lachlan Murdoch’s rant, storming through the Townsville Bulletin’s newsroom 20 years ago calling on reporters to “kill the cow” after the Bulletin ran a favourable story on Hanson that Murdoch didn’t like.
Irrespective of One Nation’s dirty deals, Hanson has, according to a number of polls, attracted a lot of former LNP supporters and with Labor’s dismal result in the by-election of just eight per cent primary vote, Hansons increase of 8.9 per cent could in part have come from disaffected Labor voters.
Gerard Rennick’s People First also is attracting a lot of supporters, many of them now financial members, at a series of under-the-radar meetings across the country.
People First’s support base is growing rapidly in Queensland where regional meetings have often seen supporters in the hundreds according to social media.
This subtle voter pressure will keep the heat on the Queensland LNP government knowing that their traditional support base is watching them closely.
