One Nation candidate Peter Rogers dumped over blog, warns of revolt against Pauline Hanson
Updated
A former One Nation candidate in Queensland who was dumped overnight says Pauline Hanson could face a revolt before the next election if she keeps sacking people for innocent mistakes.
Key points:
- Rogers sacked for blog post he claims he did not write
- Former candidate says he never expected Hanson to accept his resignation
- He says if the party 'jumps the gun' they will lose votes
- Comes as LNP member for Thuringowa, Sam Cox, defects to One Nation
Peter Rogers said he was told via a telephone hook-up with Senator Hanson and other officials he was no longer the endorsed candidate for Mulgrave.
He is the third Queensland candidate to be dumped since December.
It follows a controversial blog post on his website two weeks ago which he says he did not write.
The article said images of a three-year-old Syrian refugee washed up on a beach in 2015 were fabricated and the boy is "alive and well".
Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi's lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach amid Europe's migrant crisis.
The article also stated the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 did not happen.
Mr Rogers said he was in Hong Kong when a friend minding his website in Australia posted the story without his knowledge.
"I offered to resign when the issue blew up in the media, but I never expected Pauline or the party officials to accept it," he said.
"Other politicians including Ms Hanson have done far worse and survived.
"I made a mistake by allowing this guy to look after my website, but Pauline has made bigger mistakes than what I've actually made and she survived it.
"I think the most disappointing thing about it is that I have got to go and tell my supporters now that I'm not standing for them."
Mr Rogers said the party did not give him a chance to prove himself and if they keep "jumping the gun" they will lose votes.
He said it was important to remember that candidates standing for One Nation were not experienced politicians and the leadership "has to make allowances for that".
"No-one is perfect," he said.
Former LNP MP Sam Cox defects
Meanwhile, the former LNP member for Thuringowa, Sam Cox, has confirmed he has defected to One Nation.
Mr Cox will contest the seat of Burdekin in north Queensland at the next state election.
Mr Cox said people in his electorate were frustrated and disenfranchised.
"In the case of the LNP, unfortunately those running the show in Queensland have lost touch with the people and that's filtering down, right down to their candidates and their MPs," he said.
"Pauline Hanson is the real deal, she is what she is, she speaks her mind but she wants people, she said, that represent their community, not necessarily the party, and I do need a platform to get a voice for the people up here to tell Brisbane our needs."
His move comes after the defection of former LNP minister Steve Dickson earlier this month.
Topics: one-nation, pauline-hanson, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, qld
First posted
