The
One Nation policy launch was held at the small, inexpensive Barry Jones
Auditorium in the Ipswich City Council's (ICC) library, the Global Information
Centre.
Comment by Scott Balson, Global Web Builders
The
One Nation policy launch was held at the small, inexpensive Barry Jones
Auditorium in the Ipswich City Council's (ICC) library, the Global Information
Centre.
It was only months before that the ICC had back-flipped on its blatantly politicised move of banning the party from this and all other council buildings.
Picture right, Bill Feldman, Law and Order; Heather Hill, state leader and Ian Petersen, deputy leader arrive at the policy launch followed by One Nation's leader Pauline Hanson.
The Barry Jones auditorium is not a pretentious building. It can only hold 120 people and the room, when we entered, was nearly full.... but not of One Nation supporters but with the media and television cameras.
When Heather Hill was asked where her supporters were, she said, "out doing the real work of grassroots politics - door knocking and letter dropping".
The television cameras line-up:
Contrast this to the other major parties, the Coalition and Labor who held their launches in the Sheraton Ballroom and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music... yet One Nation had attracted more media - simply because the others did not have the One Nation reporter!
Heather Hill started proceedings by announcing the budget policy.
After Heather, deputy state leader, Ian Petersen, launched the Primary Industry policy.
Finally, law and order shadow minister, Bill Feldman, presented the law and crime policy.
After
the presentations the journalists fired questions at Heather Hill with a
total obsession over the placement of preferences. Somehow the idea of a
policy launch was lost on them. Hill performed with skill and eloquence telling
them that Beattie's claims were laughable and a blatant lie. Beattie saying
that One Nation planned to put the Coalition second in 38 marginal seats
- a move which would be a disaster for Labor's chances.
Picture right, Hill gets tough, "No more questions on preferences, let's talk policies, and that's final."
Heather Hill said One Nation, where it placed preferences, would do so in the interests of maximising the party's chances of winning seats.
Where was Pauline, well Pauline, was sitting at the back watching with a wry smile on her face.
The man seated next to her attracted some attention and media speculation. Would this be a new man in Pauline's life? No, it was the husband of Heather Hill, Ken, who doubles as his wife's campaign manager. In the last of the three Pauline spent some time with state director Peter James.
The launch went exceptionally well with the media left with no negative comments on the performance of One Nation but looking for easy to come by complaints from those most affected by proposed budget cuts, the politically correct.
Back at her office, across the road, I had the opportunity to congratulate Pauline and have my picture taken with her in, of all places, the photocopying room.
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