Queensland election: Stephen Andrew won't be last to win seat for One Nation, Pauline Hanson says
Updated
A gun dealer and feral pig shooter from Mackay who secured One Nation's first, and likely only, seat in the state election will be a strong voice for regional Queensland, party leader Pauline Hanson has said.
Key points:
- Stephen Andrew secures enough preferences to take seat of Mirani, ousting Labor MP Jim Pearce
- One Nation may win just one seat, ABC election analyst Antony Green predicts
- However, Pauline Hanson says One Nation will win about five more seats
With 75 per cent of the vote counted, One Nation's candidate Stephen Andrew has secured enough preferences to take the northern seat of Mirani, ousting Labor MP Jim Pearce.
ABC election analyst Antony Green officially called the seat for Senator Hanson's party late yesterday afternoon.
Labor is predicted to get the required 47 seats to form government in the next few days, while the LNP has 36 and could get 40.
Green has predicted One Nation and the Greens may win one seat each, Katter's Australia Party possibly three seats, and one independent.
Mr Andrew would also become the Queensland leader of One Nation, by default, after the current leader Steve Dickson was turfed from his Sunshine Coast seat of Buderim.
Mr Pearce said while he topped the primary vote, preferences proved to be his downfall.
"With One Nation and the LNP swapping their preferences, I really had no chance of hanging onto the seat once they did that, because the preferences have been coming through in large numbers for the One Nation candidate," Mr Pearce said.
In a statement, Ms Hanson said Mr Andrew had worked "exceptionally hard over the past 12 months" and would be a strong voice for regional Queensland.
"I suspect he and the Katters will hold the balance of power in the state," Senator Hanson said.
'He won't be the last'
Senator Hanson also posted on Facebook this morning, saying she thought the party would win other seats.
"I'm very proud of Stephen Andrew's win in the Queensland election," Senator Hanson wrote.
"He won't be the last, with things looking very strong in at least five other seats."
"I sense we will have some other exciting announcements over the coming days," Senator Hanson said.
Mr Andrew is a fourth generation South Sea Islander who lives in Mackay.
He is also heavily involved in the gun lobby movement and is a licensed weapons dealer.
Mr Pearce was elected as the Member for Broadsound in 1989, before moving to the electorate of Fitzroy.
He retired in 2009, but won Mirani in 2015, the first time Labor held the seat.
Topics: elections, government-and-politics, state-parliament, parliament, one-nation, political-parties, alp, mackay-4740, brisbane-4000, qld, australia
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