One Nation won 11 seats in 1998 but missed path to power
One Nation won 11 seats in 1998 Queensland. It lost its chance for power when an independent backed Labor instead.
In its first campaign, One Nation won 11 seats in 1998 Queensland and nearly 23% of the primary vote, more than the Liberals or Nationals each secured. David Oldfield planned to form a minority government.
An independent from a Nationals-held seat backed Labor's Peter Beattie instead. Beattie says the plan came within a whisker of happening.
If One Nation had held the balance, Beattie says the Nationals leader would have let them join government. At the federal election months later, John Howard changed his approach.
He gave One Nation his last preference. Oldfield thinks the party could succeed again at the federal level.
He says history could repeat if voters keep moving to the party.
- 1998 Queensland
- Election year
- 11
- Seats won
- nearly 23 percent
- Primary vote share
- Peter Wellington
- Independent backer of Labor
Why it mattersOne Nation's near-miss at power in 1998 shows how close Australia came to a different political path. The party is becoming more popular in current polls.
AustraliaOne Nation is rising in current Australian polls; this history explains how the party nearly entered government before and may again.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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