It takes something special to produce an agreement that backfires spectacularly on both parties, yet this is the achievement of those who negotiated the preference deal between the Liberal Party and One Nation in the west.

Far from saving the Liberal furniture, the decision to put Pauline Hanson's party ahead of the Liberal's alliance partner, the Nationals, antagonised small-l Liberals and helped to turn a certain debacle into an unmitigated disaster.

Far from propelling One Nation on its merry way as a Trump-impersonating juggernaut, it prompted a revolt from those who saw the deal for what it was: a device to save the premier they were desperate to remove.

Ignore the small consolations – a very modest upper house presence for Hanson and the possibility of the odd Liberal seat saved - the proof is in the lower house primary vote: around 30 per cent for the Liberals and less than 5 per cent for Hanson.