Former West Australian premier Colin Barnett has warned the Federal Government not to do a preference deal with One Nation.

Key points: There is speculation the Morrison Government will swap preferences with One Nation to hold marginal seats in Queensland

There is speculation the Morrison Government will swap preferences with One Nation to hold marginal seats in Queensland The Barnett government tried the same at the state election two years ago and suffered a crushing defeat

The Barnett government tried the same at the state election two years ago and suffered a crushing defeat Experts say what works in regional Queensland might backfire in urban seats

The Barnett government came to an agreement with One Nation in the state election two years ago and then suffered a crushing defeat.

In a statement to AM, Mr Barnett said for the Morrison Government to repeat the mistake would be "incredibly foolish".

"Based on the experience in WA it would be very damaging to have any sort of deal with One Nation and I would strongly advise against it," Mr Barnett said.

Some WA Liberals believe their state was used as the national guinea pig for deals with One Nation, with negotiations handled at a federal level.

But others in the state dispute that. Instead, they say they were trying to learn from the 2001 election, where the party took a stand against One Nation in WA and paid for it on polling day.

There is now speculation over whether the Morrison Government will reach a deal with One Nation in the coming election to try to shore up several marginal seats in Queensland.

Labor is pressuring them to put One Nation last after Fraser Anning's remarks about the Christchurch shootings. However, many within the Coalition believe the Greens should always come last.

North Queensland-based government senator Ian Macdonald says it's a matter for party headquarters, but he personally believes Labor and the Greens should be at the bottom.

"I think they are the greatest danger to Australia," Senator Macdonald said.

But Senator Macdonald also said the value of major party preferences was often overstated.

"Our preferences are very rarely counted, we usually come in number one or two on the ballot paper, and so our preferences don't make much difference at all."

Australian Electoral Commission officials counting votes in Perth. ( AAP: Josh Jerga )

Yesterday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison reiterated that preferences were determined by the party organisation and said the current policy was not to do deals with One Nation.

But Pauline Hanson said several government MPs reached out to her saying they don't agree with the prime minister.

Many members won't have forgotten that One Nation preferences contributed to the downfall of Queensland LNP members Wyatt Roy and Ewen Jones at the last federal election.

Griffith University professor John Wanna said with several Queensland electorates sitting on a knife-edge, a deal was nearly inevitable.

"I don't think they can avoid it," he said.

"I mean, this is a really difficult thing for the Coalition at every election.

"(One Nation voters) are largely conservative voters and normally would drift back to the Coalition.

"But if the Coalition antagonises them and One Nation preferences against the Coalition in marginal seats, then that could cost them the seat."

He pointed to electorates such as Forde, Capricornia, Petrie and Bonner as likely spots for a deal to take place.

But feeding into the current uncertainty is the knowledge that what works in one state might backfire spectacularly in another.