Pauline Hanson responds to One Nation candidates' criticism of WA Liberal preference deal
Updated
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has struck out at her party's West Australian candidates, who are complaining about a preference deal with the Liberal Party.
Key points:
- One Nation candidates angry over preference deal with WA Liberals
- Hanson says if candidates don't like deal, they can stand as independents
- Hanson says how-to-vote card just a recommendation
Dane Sorensen and David Miller are among a number of the party's candidates threatening to disobey the directive to preference the Liberal Party in Lower House seats at the upcoming state election.
In an interview with 7.30, Senator Hanson said any candidate who had a problem with the deal should quit the party and run as an independent.
Senator Hanson said the preference deal was in the party's best interests and "paramount" to One Nation winning seats in the March 11 election.
"They've joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation and I've said right from the very beginning, I will run this party, meaning right from the top … who stands, policies, preferences," she told 7.30.
"And I've said right from the very beginning, as far as preferences go, I'm trying to do the best that I can to get One Nation people elected to Parliament.
"They are under a banner, the banner is Pauline Hanson's One Nation.
"Now, I have to make the decisions, I am leader of this party. If they're not happy with it, everyone has a choice, don't stand under my name.
"Don't stand for Pauline Hanson's One Nation, they have every right to go and stand as an independent under their own name."
Senator Hanson denied the preference deal was designed to buttress Colin Barnett's Liberal Government, adding that voters were free to ignore how-to-vote cards.
"The how-to-vote card is a recommendation, and I encourage all voters, you take control of your vote. If you want to vote one for One Nation, thank you," she said.
"'If you want to put a two to any other political party, or Labor or Liberal, or whoever — that's your choice, take control of your vote."
Candidates threaten to give own preference instructions
Mr Sorensen and Mr Miller feel they have become bargaining chips in the preferencing deal.
Mr Sorensen, a former mining executive, and Mr Miller, an electrical fitter and traditional Labor voter, are big supporters of Ms Hanson but are united in their opposition to the backroom deal.
"I wasn't told — I found out about it in the Sunday Times and reading social media," Mr Miller, candidate for the seat of Collie-Preston, told 7.30.
"How it looks to me, [the deal] is to get people into the Upper House at the expense of people in the Lower House.
"[I'm] less than impressed."
Mr Sorensen advised in an email sent to other disgruntled One Nation candidates that they do their own how-to-vote cards, a sentiment endorsed by Mr Miller.
"This deal is shambolic," he wrote in the email.
"I, for one, will decide who I preference."
A total of 45 are running for One Nation at the March 11 poll.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, state-parliament, one-nation, states-and-territories, wa
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