Qld: Hanson campaign hits flat spot

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2001
Qld: Hanson campaign hits flat spot

By Derek Tipper

MAREEBA, Qld, Feb 16 AAP - Pauline Hanson's popstar-style election campaign stuttered
today when her whirlwind tour of north Queensland was marred by meagre crowds and a scheduling
bungle.

The One Nation leader was forced to reorganise her four-town helicopter tour of the
Tablelands seat just west of Cairns as she stood in the main street of Mareeba after the
local leagues club refused her entry.

In the heart of a seat One Nation won at the 1998 election, Ms Hanson made a hasty
retreat to the local RSL after a blackboard notice cancelling her appearance and directing
interested parties around the back to the football oval greeted supporters who mingled
with the departing morning bingo patrons.

Leagues Club manager Jason Salecich denied any arrangement for Ms Hanson to speak at
his club had been made, claiming the club was "politically neutral".

Hanson tour organisers moved on to the RSL club in Mareeba's main street, where she
went largely unnoticed among the lunchtime poker machine patrons.

"The fact is the weather made a big difference and the wrong timetable was printed
in the local paper," she said.

"We still have very good support here in the electorate, our candidate Rosa Lee-Long
has a very good chance."

The softly spoken Rosa Lee-Long will have to unseat former One Nation MP, and Queensland
Parliament bad-boy, Shaun Nelson, who was one of the first of Ms Hanson's 11 MPs to jump
ship following the 1998 state election.

Ms Hanson earlier in the day predicted strong support for One Nation tomorrow following
good crowds at previous campaign appearances this week.

"The support has been astonishing, 600 people in Hervey Bay, 350 in Gympie, the same
number in Caloundra, there is a lot of support out there," she said.

But on Cairns talkback radio Ms Hanson was lost for words when asked her position
on abortion rights, stumbling through a reply before settling on the idea that the procedure
was alright so long as the mother's life was not at risk.

There were no further stumbles in the few public words she had on this far northern tour.

She warned Prime Minister John Howard his job was in jeopardy, predicting a leadership
spill unless the PM allowed Liberal preference swaps with One Nation.

"John Howard won a landslide from Labor but he has failed to reform the socialist agenda
which is destroying this country," she said.

"Don't be badgered by Labor Mr Howard into believing One Nation is just a bunch of
rednecks and racists, you can't ignore 10 per cent of the voters.

"People are telling you to listen to the electorate and if you don't there will be
a leadership spill."

AAP dt/sc/sub/rg/br

KEYWORD: POLLQLD HANSON NIGHTLEAD

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