One Nation will finish behind the Libertarian Party in the Gold Coast seat of Burleigh after a dismal showing in the Queensland state election.
Former One Nation federal campaign manager and ex-Liberal MP Craig Kelly commented on the result on social media, congratulating the Libertarian candidate but asking where Pauline Hanson’s party went wrong.
Ms Hanson has also come in for criticism since the election over an upbeat post where she claimed she had delivered on a pledge to ensure Labor and the Greens were put last, saying “thank you, Queensland, for helping One Nation get rid of Steven Miles and his terrible Labor Government”.
Interesting to see that the Libertarian Party out polled One Nation were they ran in Queensland, such as the seat of Burleigh.
Well done to the Libertarian’s Cathy Osbourne.
In One Nation’s glory days, back in 1998. they they polled 21.6% in Burleigh and 17% in 2001. However… https://t.co/xYqFuWZuMt pic.twitter.com/BoPI3lvNxW
— Craig Kelly (@craigkellyXXX) October 28, 2024
One Nation won just 7.9% of the vote state-wide but failed to secure a single seat, and in Burleigh captured just 4.3%, with a swing of -2.9% with counting still underway.
Libertarian Party candidate Cathy Osborne won 5.4%, a swing of the same proportion since the party did not run a candidate in 2020.
“In One Nation’s glory days, back in 1998 they polled 21.6% in Burleigh and 17% in 2001. However in 2024 they received just 3.8%,” Mr Kelly wrote.
“Time for a rethink of strategies?”
But some commenters blamed the area’s changing demographics, while others pointed out the Libertarians only got 0.14% of the total Queensland vote, although they ran just four candidates compared to One Nation’s 93.
Others took aim at Ms Hanson on her Sunday post, with one writing: “Pauline would dominate if she just went further to the right and got her teeth back. She’s become so soft in the last couple of years.
“The youth are hungry for real right-wing politics.”
Nationalist activist Joel Davis responded to Ms Hanson by saying that she and her homosexual political advisor James Ashby, who ran in Keppel but got just 25.6% of the primary vote, run the party “in a manner totally indistinguishable from how Liberal Party operatives would”.
“Barely ever attack the Liberals on policy even though you’re supposed to be competing for the same voters, then openly gloating at how you’ve helped the Liberals get elected,” he wrote.
“If One Nation actually wanted to win the central focus of your campaigning would be attacking the Liberals on their barely distinguishable from Labor immigration and antiwhite pro-multiculturalism policies.
“The fact that it isn’t, and that you sound indistinguishable from a Liberal Party politician most of the time these days is evidence enough to me that you are a controlled opposition party designed to structurally protect the Liberals from being attacked from the Right.”
Thank you, Queensland, for helping One Nation get rid of Steven Miles and his terrible Labor Government.
At the beginning of our campaign, we pledged that One Nation would ensure Labor and the Greens went last because Queensland could not afford another Labor Government.
One… pic.twitter.com/CtN97fOzeC
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) October 27, 2024
Mr Ashby confirmed after the election that he would return as Ms Hanson’s chief of staff.
Voters in the Queensland state election have rejected One Nation, with the centre-right party failing to win a single vote.
Former two-term One Nation MP Stephen Andrew, now with Katter’s Australia Party after being dumped by Ms Hanson in August, is projected to win in neighbouring Mirani and said his previous party has become “less relevant”.
“Look at the money spent in Keppel, the hardships the sitting member was going through and they couldn’t pull it off,” Mr Andrew said.
“Here I am in Mirani next door, without their brand or anything and still doing well. It goes to show the One Nation brand isn’t strong.”
Mr Ashby, who is widely expected to be succeed Ms Hanson as One Nation leader when she retires, was asked by the ABC on Saturday night whether disendorsing Mr Andrew was a mistake.
“No, not at all, lazy people don’t get a chance here at One Nation. If you’re not prepared to work hard over seven years, two terms of parliament I’m sorry there’s not a place here for you. And we are very happy to put him down below the LNP at this election,” he said.
Mr Kelly also addressed One Nation’s poor showing on Sunday, calling the result “disappointing”, and pointing out that if Queenslanders vote the same way at next year’s federal election One Nation would not win a senate seat.
“And although One Nation was up a notional 0.7% from the last QLD state election – this is substantially down from the 13.7% they achieved in 2017. The reality is that 43% of people that voted One Nation in QLD in 2017 have abandoned the party,” Mr Kelly wrote on X.
“Could I suggest to One Nation that we love your cartoon series, but by making Albanese ‘the star’ all you are doing is shifting votes away from Labor to the Liberals – with no electoral benefit to One Nation.
“One Nation’s policies are generally exactly what Australia needs, but the voting & polling show that the message is not get through and they need a re-think.”
It was good to see the Queensland Labor Government get smashed with a swing of around 7% against them.
However, the Pauline Hanson’s One Nation result was sadly disappointing.
They only managed 7.8% of the vote and didn‘t win any seats (while Katters Australia won 3 seats) and… pic.twitter.com/bOb50rOhJA
— Craig Kelly (@craigkellyXXX) October 27, 2024
He then asked his followers what they thought One Nation could do differently and better, and got a variety of answers, with several suggesting a lack of volunteers and grassroots organisation was to blame.
“There was no One Nation representative or how to vote card at my voting spot in Noosa. They need a presence everywhere,” one said.
“Actually call people who are paid members who put their hands up to volunteer. That’d be great,” said another.
“Two elections in a row – no contact from Scenic Rim candidates either year. I went to a local event too. I could have swayed tonnes of votes if I’d been given a shirt and some leaflets. We could easily have come in above Labor with more boots on the ground.
“There was only one person manning the PHON tent with heaps of people trying to speak to the volunteer – many didn’t get a chance to ask their questions and may have just voted LNP instead.”
Another said: “I had friends in One Nation who were phoning me up and asking if I could volunteer for state candidates. I asked how is it they have a candidate in every seat, but not enough volunteers?
“Apparently they don’t hold branch meetings. Which seems absurd considering the party’s popularity I like their policies and I think Australia needs them. But the party structure is deeply flawed.”
Others blamed Mr Ashby, Ms Hanson’s support for Israel, party infighting, and biased corporate media coverage.
“Let me address the elephant in the room. James Ashby is Pauline Hanson’s Chief of staff. James Ashby has a chequered past. He does not resonate with Queenslanders.
Pauline Hanson really needs to choose her candidates wisely if she seriously wants a crack at QLD state politics,” wrote one supporter on X.
“James Ashby is why, Craig. Who is he? That’s the million dollar question,” said another in response to Mr Kelly’s post.
Header image credit: Pauline Hanson (X)
