One Nation’s biggest donor Gina Rinehart has enthusiastically endorsed the grandson of Queensland’s longest serving premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen to run for federal parliament as speculation grows the young businessman could join forces with Pauline Hanson in her home state.
Sam Bjelke-Petersen — who is a close friend of the iron ore magnate — is “just the person we need in parliament”, Ms Rinehart said at a recent event to honour Sir Joh, fuelling talk in Queensland’s political circles that he would follow his controversial grandfather into politics.
Asked by The Australian whether Mr Bjelke-Petersen would make a good candidate for One Nation, Ms Rinehart said she believed he would make an “outstanding” MP.
“I have known Sam Bjelke-Petersen since he was a young person, and I have remained close to his fine family,” said Ms Rinehart, who attended a Trump rally with Mr Bjelke-Petersen in the US ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
“Sam is a person of admirable and unquestionable character, loads of common sense, fine principles and together with his agricultural background, is a staunch patriot, and I believe he would be an outstanding member of parliament should he chose to run.
“Just the sort of gentleman we need in federal parliament.”
A spokesman for Senator Hanson, who recently returned from a luxury Italian trip with her billionaire benefactor Ms Rinehart, had no response to speculation One Nation was courting Mr Bjelke-Petersen.
The 32-year-old, who is also close a family friend of billionaire Clive Palmer, played down rumours he was considering running at the next federal election, but refused to rule out a future tilt.
“As many Australians are, I am concerned where the country is heading. I think everyone with a stake in Australia should be,” Mr Bjelke-Petersen said in a statement to The Australian.
“Right now, I am enjoying the private sector. However I think in life there comes a time to serve, which can be done in many ways and give back. That time may come in the future.
“Mrs Rinehart has been great friends with my grandparents, which has continued with my parents and myself. She loves Australia, our history and cares for it deeply.”
A graduate of Kingaroy State High School, Mr Bjelke-Petersen would be a viable candidate for the seat of Maranoa, should he choose to run, which is currently held by former Nationals Leader David Littleproud on an ultra-safe 22.1 per cent margin. His father, John Bjelke-Petersen, was a candidate in Maranoa for the then-Palmer United Party at the 2013 federal election.
One senior Liberal National Party source said Sam Bjelke-Petersen had previously been approached by Mr Palmer to run for his United Australia Party but had not been interested in public office.
“It looks like that could change,” the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Australian.
“The Bjelke-Petersen name carries a lot of weight in regional Queensland and I am sure One Nation would be keen to capitalise on that.”
Sir Joh – whose populist brand of conservative politics blazed the way for Senator Hanson – opened Queensland’s coal and tourism industries to the world and drove interstate investment into the state with the abolition of death duties during his 19-year reign as the state’s premier.
At a speech to Labor’s national conference on Friday night, outgoing Labor president Wayne Swan described Sir Joh as “the original Pauline Hanson”.
Sir Joh, a peanut farmer from Kingaroy, famously derailed John Howard’s first bid to become prime minister with his ill fated 1987 “Joh for PM” campaign which ended the same year the royal commission that became the Fitzgerald Inquiry was announced.
In her virtual address to an event for under 40s celebrating Sir Joh’s legacy last month, Ms Rinehart said: “It (has been) years since we have had the benefit of Sir Joh in office but we have still much to learn from this successful businessman”.
Listing “crises” she said were plaguing Australia, including housing availability, immigration and declining competitiveness, Ms Rinehart said that “recognising something must be done, like Sir Joh did, is an important first step”.
“If this helps you think of people who would be the sort of candidates, like Sir Joh, who could understand and help fix these crises, fantastic.” she told the attendees.
“Please do share with Sam or even just help those who are bravely standing up on important issues.”
Lydia LynchOvernight Editor