POLITICS is about power, but in regards to tactics there is a point at which winning isn’t worth it.
The WA Liberals have crossed that point by directing Upper House preferences to One Nation above their own governing partners, the Nationals.
Pauline Hanson remains fundamentally the same politician who claimed in 1996 that Australia was being “swamped by Asians”.
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Her candidates in WA have claimed “homosexuals are using Nazi-style mind control strategies”, advocated the murder of Indonesian journalists, and attacked “poofters”, “noogahs” and “sheet heads”.
One Nation candidates, once elected, have not done well. As the Member for Oxley, Ms Hanson missed a number of important votes in Parliament.
Queensland One Nation MPs splintered and sat as independents, and Senator for WA Rod Culleton quit the party shortly after being elected.
If people choose to vote for candidates with extreme views and a party with a highly-|centralised, dictatorial power structure, that is their choice to make.
The Liberal Party funnelling preferences to One Nation in the Upper House is another matter.
If the Liberals retain power, they will likely face four years of negotiating with One Nation to pass legislation. It will be a mess of their own creation.
It isn’t worth it.
Giovanni Torre, reporter