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Hanson 'hires ex-Trump adviser'

One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson has hired an economist who used to work for US presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Pauline Hanson's One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson
One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson has hired a former economic adviser to Donald Trump. (AAP)

The Queensland government says it's no surprise Pauline Hanson has hired a former economic adviser to US presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The One Nation leader on Friday night held a free public forum in Rockhampton, where her chief of staff James Ashby revealed the move following a question about the economy, the ABC reported.

"We have just taken him from the Trump camp, so he's come on board with us, so that's pretty exciting and we need to build credibility on the economics front," Mr Ashby said.

Mr Ashby did not name the adviser but said he had just landed in the country and was "one of the world's leading economists".

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Acting Premier Jackie Trad on Saturday continued the government's condemnation of Ms Hanson as potentially damaging for Queensland's reputation.

"It's not a surprise to me that Pauline Hanson continues to reach over into the far right for advice," she said.

"Ms Hanson's politics around exclusion and vilification and promoting, I think, a false agenda around economics, will only hurt Queensland in the future."

Senator Hanson's central Queensland visit followed this week's maiden speech, in which she claimed Australia was being "swamped by Muslims who bear a culture and ideology that is incompatible with our own".

The Islamic Society of Central Queensland said it will invite the senator to its open day next month to discuss her views.

One Nation party executives have drawn up a battle plan for an early Queensland election, The Australian reported on Saturday.

The state poll is due by 2018.

Buoyed by a membership influx and a $1.6m refund for its strong performance at the July election, the party will reportedly nominate its strongest-performing federal candidates for state seats.

Queensland's Liberal National Party (LNP) opposition has left the door open to One Nation preference deals, creating political ammunition for Labor.

Government MPs have repeatedly pressured LNP leader Tim Nicholls to rule out any deals.


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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