One Nation deal puts off some Cottesloe Liberal voters

THE Liberal Party-One Nation preference deal is causing some angst in the conservative heartland of Premier Colin Barnett’s Cottesloe electorate.

“I’m going to vote Labor now 100 per cent. I can’t stand Pauline Hanson,” Claremont resident Lucy Lewis said.

On Tuesday, in a very unscientific street poll, the Western Suburbs Weekly asked about 30 people if the deal could change their vote.

About 10 jumped at the chance to speak, while the rest were too busy, said they did not know about the deal, or were not western suburbs voters.

Those who appeared most irritated by the deal were current or former lay members of the Liberal Party, but they would not be quoted.

There was analysis of the surprise agreement.

“I hesitated when I read about it because I guess the $5 a tonne resources rent tax is uppermost in the Liberals’ minds, and if they get a smaller number of National Party MPs because of preferences then they’ll have circumnavigated that confrontation,” Cottesloe resident Geoffrey Shilkin said.

Others voiced some voter reality.

“I don’t think voters are going to change the way they would normally vote,” Mt Claremont resident Owen Ashby said.

Asked by reporters, Mr Barnett said his part had “simply done a mathematical deal” to maximise Liberal votes and keep government, and he had no interest in One Nation’s “assortment” of candidates and some of their reported far-right fringe opinions.

However, after the election Mr Barnett may have to deal with some of those candidates, whose party opposes his proposed sale of 51 per cent of Western Power and a private lease of Fremantle Port while touting inquiries into Islam and banning burkas.

Mr Barnett said he would not pass religious laws in WA, or exchange a burka ban for sale of Western Power.

“That discussion will never happen,” he said.