Queensland's most powerful backbencher says only a return to Australian values - less talk and more action on issues that matter - will keep Coalition voters from drifting to One Nation, with support for the outlier party continuing to surge in the sunshine state.
George Christensen says the only way for the Coalition to stem the flow of voters to the Pauline Hanson-led party federally was to "shake it up ourselves" and "start delving into the too-hard basket".
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That meant acting on job creation, building economy-boosting infrastructure and standing up for "national values", he said.
"Everyone knows that Queensland is always a volatile state electorally and the rise of One Nation is coming out of Queensland," the Dawson MP said.
"There is no doubt about it, Queensland is somewhat of an epicentre for that sort of angst … it is not an angst against the government, it is an angst against establishment policies against both sides, because these core issues that matter to people, governments of both persuasions put them in the too hard basket.
"And when Pauline Hanson comes along and says this is not right, and you are paying too much here and this is being done against you there, it really resonates with people and they think – 'I have been complaining about this for too long and nothing has been done, so might as well give it a shake up'.
"The only way to overcome that is to shake it up ourselves."
Mr Christensen's electorate covers an area which is becoming known as One Nation heartland – central and northern Queensland. The party remains on track to take more state seats in the upcoming election than the 11 it won at the height of its popularity in the late 1990s. Many within the Coalition have begun to worry about the flow-on effect at the next federal election, with the large decentralised state acting as a bellwether for the national mood.
![George Christensen and the Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.](/web/20170226093851im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/2/h/s/m/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gul2aj.png/1487984526372.jpg)
"I have raised a lot of these issues, direct with the Prime Minister, with the Deputy Prime Minister [Barnaby Joyce], with many others, they know - I think there is movement towards these goals," he said.
"Obviously, not everything that I suggest is going to be picked up and adopted, but at least if we start moving in the direction we are talking about, delivering on the things we said we were going to deliver ... delivering on things that are normally put in the too-hard basket, more statements about values from our leadership and defending the nation and national values and as I said a strong focus on job creation, if we look at those issues, I think we would be right."
![George Christensen with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.](/web/20170226093851im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/2/h/t/5/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gul2aj.png/1487984526372.jpg)
Mr Christensen, whose has previously threatened to quit the government, which holds just a one-seat majority in the lower house, over the backpacker tax, same-sex marriage, the direction of the government and, most recently, a dispute between sugarcane growers and a foreign-owned mill, has repeatedly said he remains loyal to Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, dismissing claims he would seek to join One Nation.
While the Queensland conservative has long been known within the party for expressing dissenting views with policy directions, the government's reduced majority has lent more power to his complaints.
![George Christensen and Pauline Hanson in Parliament.](/web/20170226093851im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/1/d/f/u/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gul2aj.png/1487984526372.jpg)
He said Queensland government MPs had begun to realise "our collective power" and were working towards focussing "that realisation" to gain relief for the state, which has been hit hard by the slowdown in the resources sector.
He said the government had recently begun to move in what he believed to be the right direction, but more needed to be done to win back disillusioned voters, from both sides of the political divide.
"A very strong showing from One Nation [at the upcoming state election] will give absolute and utter credence to everything I have said," he said.
"If we see One Nation win between 10 and 20 seats, we really need to double down on these issues to win back Queensland."