Bumbling One Nation candidates who failed Pauline Hanson

A sex shop owner and a former bankrupt One Nation candidate accused of making sexist Facebook posts appear to have let down Pauline Hanson in Queensland.

One Nation candidate Mark Thornton was on track to snatch the Townsville-based seat of Thuringowa off Labor until it was revealed the flooring business owner also operated an adult store.

In neighbouring Mundingburra, in north Queensland, Labor looked like it was finished until it was revealed One Nation’s Malcolm Charlwood was a former bankrupt accused of making sexist Facebook posts, something he has denied being responsible for.

Both trouble-prone One Nation candidates in suburban Townsville came third on primary votes, after earlier polls suggested they could actually be elected on preferences.

 

One Nation candidate Mark Thornton was ambushed with questions about his wife’s sex shop in the awkward presence of Pauline Hanson

This sex shop in Aitkenvale was behind One Nation's vote flopping in the seat of Thuringowa

This sex shop in Aitkenvale was behind One Nation’s vote flopping in the seat of Thuringowa

Senator Hanson, One Nation’s federal leader, predicted her nationalist party would win more than 11 seats in Queensland’s newly-expanded 93-seat parliament when she christened her Battler Bus with sparkling wine. 

‘This is going to be one hell of a campaign because I think the people of Queensland are fed up with the major parties,’ she said on November 6.

‘Honestly I think this is going to be bigger than it was in 1998.’

Only a week before this weekend’s Queensland election, a Newspoll showed One Nation picking up Thuringowa, 54 per cent to Labor’s 46 per cent after preferences.

However, Mr Thorton’s campaign lost traction after a 7 News reporter ambushed him with questions about Cupids Cabin, an adult shop in Aitkenvale managed by Thornton’s wife.

One Nation's Malcolm Charlwood was ex-bankrupt accused of making sexist Facebook posts

One Nation’s Malcolm Charlwood was ex-bankrupt accused of making sexist Facebook posts

In a cringe-worthy media conference he confirmed, in the presence of Senator Hanson, a Facebook post for the sex shop which described good sex as a grey area ‘between tickle fight and domestic violence’.

‘I haven’t seen that one mate but it probably comes back to your 50 Shades of Grey type,’ Mr Thornton said.

Next door in Mundingburra, a Galaxy poll showed Labor’s Coralee O’Rourke in serious trouble.

However, the Minister for North Queensland was saved after Daily Mail Australia revealed One Nation’s Malcolm Charlwood was once bankrupt and had been accused of making sexist Facebook posts, something he has denied being responsible for.

One Nation's Malcolm Charlwood denied posting these sexist memes on his Facebook page

One Nation’s Malcolm Charlwood denied posting these sexist memes on his Facebook page

The real estate agent's chance of picking up the Labor seat of Mundingburra crashed 

The real estate agent’s chance of picking up the Labor seat of Mundingburra crashed 

ELECTION COUNT

Thuringowa: Labor’s Aaron Harper on 32.26% followed by the LNP’s Nick Martinez on 21.08% and One Nation’s Mark Thornton on 20.21%.

Mundingburra:  Labor’s Coralee O’Rourke on 31.66% followed by the LNP’s Matthew Derlagen on 26% and One Nation’s Mal Charlwood on 16.77%.

Mirani: Labor’s Jim Pearce leads on 37.33% but One Nation’s Andrew Stephen on 31.5% could be elected with preferences from LNP’s Kerry Latter on 27%.

* Source: Electoral Commission Queensland, as of Sunday night. Final declaration subject to preference flows from other candidates.

Mr Charlwood, a real estate agent, insisted the posts on the Mal Charlwood Facebook page, promoting his company Blue Fuel Management, weren’t written by him.

In May, a Facebook page in his name had an image of a middle-aged man with the headline: ‘What does your wife and a hand grenade have in common?

‘Remove the ring and your house is gone.’

Last year, it shared another joke next to an image of an obese woman on top of a man at the beach.

‘I would feel safe in a tsunami,’ it said, under a meme with the phrase: ‘Sun block. SPF 400.’ 

One Nation now only realistically stands of a chance of picking up the central Queensland seat of Mirani from Labor’s Jim Pearce, a former coal miner.

Pauline Hanson predicted her One Nation party would win more than 11 seats in Queensland

Pauline Hanson predicted her One Nation party would win more than 11 seats in Queensland

Former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts failed in his bid to take Ipswich away from Labor

Former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts failed in his bid to take Ipswich away from Labor

Former senator Malcolm Roberts finished a long way behind Labor’s Jennifer Howard in Ipswich while One Nation’s state leader Steve Dickson, a former Liberal National Party minister, lost his seat of Buderim on the Sunshine Coast.

One Nation also put in underwhelming performances in Maryborough, where Labor’s vote increased, and in neighbouring Gympie, where the LNP held on.

Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk appears on track to form a majority government in her own right, as Australia’s first ever female premier to successfully lead a major party at two elections. 

‘I am confident of a Labor majority,’ she told reporters on Sunday in her safe Labor electorate of Inala, in Brisbane’s south.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is confident Labor will govern with a majority

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is confident Labor will govern with a majority

‘We will continue to listen and continue to deliver. Tomorrow, we will be back at work.’

Labor presently has 42 seats in its column, with election analysts predicting they will win 47 to have a majority while the LNP will have about 40.

But Ms Palaszczuk, who inherited her seat from her father Henry Palaszczuk in 2006, has warned the final results might not come through for up to two weeks. 

However, if Labor falls short of a majority, it could conceivably form a minority government with the support of the Greens, who stand a chance of picking up the inner-Brisbane seat Maiwar from the LNP, and a new independent in Noosa.

Labor may also have to rely on a possible independent in Rockhampton Margaret Strelow, a former mayor who quit the party after missing out on ALP preselection. 

Ms Palaszczuk, whose party put One Nation last on its how-to-vote cards, has vowed not to enter into any coalition with Pauline Hanson’s party. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk