WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas says One Nation deserves 'respect'

WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas says One Nation deserves "respect" and ignoring the party would be like "ignoring the will of the people". Mr Zempilas says he has an "open mind" about finding a way to work with the party. In a speech to the business community, the WA Liberal leader outlined six policy commitments, including building a new hospital at Yanchep and extending Sunday trading hours. Pauline Hanson's One Nation deserves "respect", according to Western Australia's Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas, who says he is open to finding a way of working with the minor party as support for it grows. In a Newspoll published by The Australian today, which surveyed 1,240 voters across the country, One Nation received 31 per cent of the primary vote, above Labor (30 per cent) and the Coalition (18 per cent) for the first time. In one of his first major speeches to the business community as leader of the WA Liberals, Mr Zempilas said ignoring One Nation "would be to ignore the will of the people". "Right now, as a political movement, One Nation deserve respect," he said. "And if this support holds, finding a way to work with, or alongside, One Nation will be important, and it's something I have an open mind about." Growing support In just 12 months, One Nation's popularity has surged on policies that include significantly reducing immigration, economic nationalism and significantly boosting coal and gas production. Mr Zempilas put down this increase in support to frustration with the Labor government's policies. "To ignore One Nation would be to ignore thousands of people who are frustrated," he said. "Frustrated they're working so hard but not getting ahead." Cost of living concerns Mr Zempilas said that frustration was being felt in WA because the state Labor government was not addressing concerns about housing, health and cost of living. His speech included six policy commitments, including building a new hospital at Yanchep and mandating lighting on trains to improve safety at level crossings — both of which received applause from the audience. Mr Zempilas also pledged to extend trading hours on Sunday mornings, to be transparent about how much the government spends to lure major events to the state and to lift a ban on uranium mining.