Hanson’s team ‘got it wrong’

DISGRUNTLED former One Nation candidate Troy Thompson has claimed his disendorsement cost the party the seat of Thuringowa.

One Nation, early in the election, was tipped to be in a two-horse race with Labor to win the seat but after Mr Thompson was booted as the candidate it didn’t eventuate.

Mr Thompson pulled out of the race on September 22, citing personal reasons, but the Townsville Bulletin later revealed it was because he failed to disclose a previous legal name and his directorship of a failed company.

Mr Thompson said after he was disendorsed, he was convinced One Nation had no chance of winning the seat.

On Saturday his replacement Jeni Alexander, received 9.95 per cent of the vote.

At the 2017 election, One Nation’s Thuringowa candidate Mark Thornton secured 45.9 per cent of the vote two-party preferred.

Mr Thompson said many voters, and 93 of his volunteers, had indicated they wouldn’t support One Nation after his disendorsement.

“We were tracking very well. Mr Harper had re-enrolled back with Queensland Ambulance Service, even members within his own party had indicated directly to me he was extremely worried,” Mr Thompson said.

“I disagreed with the disendorsement decision of the One Nation executive from the outset, it was not my decision.

“The One Nation executive got it wrong … while they may feel they are politically astute, the leadership team within the executive lacked a business skill set.”

Mr Thompson said he still “firmly” believed in party leader Pauline Hanson and Senator Malcolm Roberts as “wonderful ambassadors” for regional Queensland. in