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    Liberals and Nationals to preference One Nation in blow to Michelle Milthorpe in Farrer byelection
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    Liberals and Nationals to preference One Nation in blow to Michelle Milthorpe in Farrer byelection


    Liberals and Nationals to preference One Nation in blow to Michelle Milthorpe in Farrer byelection

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/21/farrer-byelection-liberal-national-one-nation-pauline-hanson-preference-ntwnfb

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    29 Comments

    2. paulybaggins on

      “The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood he was one of them.”

    3. delta__bravo_ on

      Oh man. Doesn’t feel like too long ago that the LNP dragged the ALP for the mere suggestion of preferencing One Nation over more or less anyone else….

    6. maddog2000 on

      First major announcement by Taylor was a racist dog whistle, so this should be a surprise. Attempting to then pivot to win city seats at the next Election will be.. interesting.

    7. MisterNighttime on

      As good a time as any to chuck a few bucks Michelle‘s way. There’s a donation link on her website.

    8. invisiblefrost on

      What percentage of people actually follow how to vote cards??.. I hate these misleading headlines they’re not preferencing them!.. they’re putting it on flyers.. I can see lower rates of voters following advice to preference ON than other parties?..

    9. RadiumJuly on

      Pretty entertaining stuff! One Nation is a serious problem for the Coalition. They can’t move to the left without bleeding voters to ON and can’t go right without loosing them to Labor. One independent in one seat is no major threat to their total campaign, but propping up ON is feeding a monster.

      Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus.

    10. coder_doode on

      Parties don’t determine preferences, the voters do. Sure, parties can hand out how-to-vote cards but what happens in the booth is up to the individual.

    11. skozombie on

      Actual controlled preferences aren’t even a thing anymore. It’s just a suggestion to voters.

      Previously, if you numbered 1 for a party above the line, they’d control your preferences but that’s no longer the case.

      Now, it’s just a suggestion that shows their opinions

    13. deeku4972 on

      Openly hostile and running ad campaigns against One Nation. Preferences One Nation. Again.

    14. big-red-aus on

      Just at a level of raw machiavellianian politics, One Nation should be a gift horse for the LNP, and the answer to their teal problem (that they didn’t really have a good answer for, especially as they entrench themselves in these seats).

      In One Nation, the LNP has someone they can attack pretty safely and pretty clearly market themselves to the teal voters as it being safe to ‘come home’ to the LNP. Yes you will lose the right fringe to One Nation, but this is where the gift horse aspect comes into play. Anything they lose to One Nation they stand a very good pathway to regaining at the next election as One Nation will almost certainly do what they always do, fracturing into a bunch of splinter factions, alienate their allies and voters and if I had to bet, get caught up in a comically incompetent corruption scandal.

      If they weren’t so cooked from spending all day staring at twitter and facebook, they might be able to see the forest for the trees and understand this is their chance to rebuild the ‘big tent’ they need to win elections.

    15. slontymcgee on

      A reminder that preference deals only affect the how-to-vote cards. Morons are more likely just to donkey vote than to follow a Liberal/Nationals how-to-vote card.

    16. CelebrationFit8548 on

      They truly are pathetic and contrarians just for the sake of it *’they don’t like it’* (in Pauline Hanson voice). Meanwhile, they same extremists fucking idiots are [apparently behind ‘secret’ One Nation attack ADs](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/21/farrer-byelection-coalition-one-nation-social-media-attack-ads-ntwnfb)*…*

      *Which leads to the bleeding obvious question are they for or against One Nation?!?*

      Clearly, these mindless fucking idiots don’t know with some factions ‘rooting for them’ whilst others are seeing the writing on the wall and are terrified by them.

      It’s terrible that this nations funds are being abused by the ‘childish schoolyard antics’ of the LNP!

    17. RedOx103 on

      They handed ON two seats in SA with this move.

      Way to boost your opposition. They keep signing their own death warrant.

    18. Important_Fruit on

      Better that a red neck racist xenophobe gets the vote than some socialist.

      EDIT: jeez! Did I really need to add /s?

    19. Ok-Push9899 on

      Is there any research to show how the preference decisions of particular parties affect actual voters? Are some voters more loyal to following the preferences of their party than other voters are? Does it vary by party, electorate, age, or gender? Instinctively I feel that younger people decide their own preferences.

      I just wonder if all the effort parties put into finalising preference deals actually makes a difference at the ballot box. As one who has voted in every election since Fraser and never once glanced at a how-to-vote leaflet, is it all just litter? I have no doubt the preference deals are highly significant to the machinations of party politics outside electoral windows.

    20. Terrorscream on

      given that independent got like 40% of the vote last time i can see why they are scared shitless

    23. ThunderDwn on

      The irony of this post appearing directly above one titled “Coalition launches One Nation attack ads via obscure Facebook accounts ahead of Farrer by-election” is absolute gold.

      Which is it, Libs? You gonna attack them, or preference them?

    24. gin_enema on

      They are like a suicide cult. Edit: …. Especially because the vote in parliament means nothing.

    26. TizzyBumblefluff on

      I thought there was another post earlier saying LNP are putting out weird fb ads disparaging one nation??? I need some weird political explain like I’m 5 analysis of this

    27. ruling_faction on

      That is so mindbreakingly dumb that I don’t know where to start. Is it an attempted display of the sort of ideological purity that they haven’t had for years?

    28. fangdangfang on

      Not exactly a surprise, in what universe would the libs and nats preference a left wing candidate over a right wing one, anyone expecting different is delusional