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Posted: 2017-03-13 02:55:52

Posted March 13, 2017 13:55:52

If you ask 10 people if the WA election result — especially the lower-than-expected One Nation vote — will mean anything for the next Queensland election, you will get 10 answers.

There are variations on yes, no and maybe, but it boils down to two things: the major parties' performances and One Nation's impact.

One Nation Queensland leader Steve Dickson said he was very excited about his party's vote in Western Australia (less than 5 per cent on average, just over 8 per cent in seats contested.)

"One Nation registered in WA 50 days ago yesterday, so they started from a standing start ... and I think they've done pretty well," he told ABC Sunshine Coast.

But everyone else — apart from Pauline Hanson herself — seemed to think it was something of a flop.

Does that mean One Nation will flop in Queensland?

Not necessarily, according to Griffith University analyst Paul Williams: "I am still expecting the One Nation vote to be quite strong in Queensland."

While everyone ponders that equation, the other big lesson for Queensland will be how the LNP in particular chooses to preference Ms Hanson's party, given that WA voters appeared to dislike the fact the Liberals made a deal with One Nation.

If voters reject the parties' preference recommendations, and instead punish them for even suggesting how they should vote, then the LNP will have to think very carefully about what it puts on its how-to-vote cards.

So far it has avoided the word "deal", instead saying it would make preference "decisions" seat by seat.

One Nation itself will probably do the same thing now, but Labor plans to put One Nation last.

As for the main game between Labor and the Liberals and Nationals, there does seem to be some agreement there is no direct translation from the west.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad said: "This was a WA election and Queensland is a different proposition."

Queensland Labor Senator Anthony Chisolm also dismissed a link: "All state elections are predominantly fought on state issues."

LNP Senator James McGrath said: "The WA election was fought solely on state issues."

Analyst Paul Williams agreed, saying "given the states are so different, not too many [lessons can be taken]".

But Queensland LNP leader Tim Nicholls will pay close attention to some of the factors that cost his colleagues government in Western Australia.

"Issues around a transition from a resources economy, issues around job security. Those sorts of issues are the issues that we are focused on in Queensland that obviously played their part in West Australia," Mr Nicholls said.

Not to mention the WA Liberals' proposal to privatise a state-owned power company (asset sales — remember them?)

Ms Trad had a similar theme: "The take home for me is that it's business as usual — we have to keep delivering on the services and the programs that Queenslanders need."

No wonder the Premier will not reveal when the next election will be, everyone needs time to think.

Topics: state-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, elections, political-parties, brisbane-4000, qld, perth-6000, wa

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