Malcolm Turnbull was reluctant to be drawn on a preference deal between the WA Liberals and One Nation.
He says the party deserves respect, but the decision is a matter for Colin Barnett's state government.
But that didn't stop deputy P-M Barnaby Joyce expressing his disappointment.
The deal will mean his state Nationals colleagues will be placed lower than One Nation on Liberal how-to-vote cards in regional Upper House electorates.
"This is a disappointing move. I hope the architects of it clearly understand the ramifications of the decision that they're a party to. And ah- what we'll see - obviously, I mean, the game could be played in any way. We won't, but it could easily be that the National Party could stand in every Lower House seat in Perth and preference another party. What would that mean? You'd lose a heap of seats, simple as that. "
Pauline Hanson today confirmed her resurgent One Nation party would uphold its end of the bargain.
One Nation will preference the Liberals in the Lower House, ahead of Labor and the Greens.
She says her team of federal senators have shown One Nation is a mature party that is willing to negotiate.
"Our performance on the floor of Parliament here in the Senate reflects to the Liberal Party that they can work with us, we can actually negotiate on issues. We are not extremists. And I believe it's the way forward."
Ms Hanson says she's hopeful the W-A preference deal might be replicated in Queensland, where an election is expected this year or next.
One Nation's poll numbers are even stronger in the sunshine state than in W-A, according to the latest Galaxy results.
Queenslander and Federal Trade Minister Steve Ciobo says it's an option for the state leadership to consider
"Let's not lose sight of the fact that in Queensland, based on polling that we've seen over the weekend, One Nation is sitting somewhere between 15 and 20 percent, whatever the actual number might end up being. That's a fair swag of voters. That's, you know, 1 in 5 voters, or thereabouts, that are indicating that they would want to put their support to One Nation. Now we can't be dismissive of that. Doesn't mean that we embrace or that we cuddle up to their policies -- in the same way that I'm sure that Bill Shorten would argue that him providing preferences to and from the Greens doesn't mean that Labor's neccesarily adopting all of their kooky* ideas."
Labor was quick to rebuke that comparison.
Anthony Albanese says he often disagrees with the Greens... AND even former Liberal prime minister John Howard was unwilling to deal with One Nation.
"To somehow equate the Greens political party with the views of One Nation is quite frankly absurd. People in mainstream politics recognised that in the 1990s."
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