LNP rejects preference-swap with Hanson

25 Feb 2009, 3:32 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has categorically ruled out a preference swap with political comeback hopeful Pauline Hanson.

Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has categorically ruled out a preference swap with political comeback hopeful Pauline Hanson.

Ms Hanson on Tuesday confirmed she would run in the March 21 state election, saying she will reveal more details on Monday.

Friends have told the media the 54-year-old former Ipswich fish-and-chip shop owner will run for the Liberal National Party-held seat of Beaudesert being vacated by veteran MP Kev Lingard.

The question of preferencing Ms Hanson and her former One Nation party has hamstrung the conservative parties in previous elections.

Mr Springborg told reporters in Cairns there would be no preference swap by the Liberal National Party (LNP), but declined to say why.

"There is no preference swap with the LNP and Pauline Hanson full stop, guaranteed, for the same reason that we haven't preference swapped or done any preference deals with One Nation while I've been leader," Mr Springborg said.

"It's not happening, full stop."

He said the choice to run was a matter for Ms Hanson.

"But frankly, we're talking about an election where the LNP is the alternative to this government and that's what I'm interested in," he said.

"What individual candidates want to do is a matter for them."

Premier Anna Bligh said Queenslanders would be "groaning" after the news of Ms Hanson's comeback.

"I think increasingly Queenslanders understand the damaging effect Pauline Hanson and One Nation had, not only on Queensland's international reputation but on Australia's," she told ABC Radio.

Ms Hanson came to fame in 1996 when she was disendorsed by the Liberal Party for advocating the abolition of welfare for Aborigines, but went on to win the federal seat of Oxley and sit as an independent.

Her One Nation party won 25 per cent of the vote at the 1998 Queensland state election, taking 11 out of 89 seats.

She has since made several unsuccessful attempts at entering federal politics.

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