Brussels: Labor has retained office in Queensland with a reduced majority. The merged Liberal National Party, with a singularly uncharismatic farmer as leader, was unable to make enough headway in urban electorates in and around Brisbane.
In Beaudesert, right-wing populist Pauline Hanson was defeated with 22 per cent of the vote. She blamed her defeat on hounding by the media and in particular the publication of fake photos purporting to show her in the company of a black adult actor with the stage name of Long Dong Silver.
The market for populism more generally remains buoyant in the recession and we can expect to see it as a strong force in the European Parliament elections, not least in Britain. What's wrong with populism in a democracy? It appeals to baser human instincts and pretends that there are simple solutions to complex problems.
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