Hanson

James Paterson had called decision by Pauline Hanson’s party to rehire Sean Black ‘absolutely extraordinary’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson says she has sacked the convicted rapist who worked as One Nation’s campaign manager, but accused Coalition MPs of playing “gutter politics” by criticising her decision to rehire him.Sean Black, who in 2018 was jailed for rape and subsequently lost his appeal against the conviction, was initially rehired by One Nation in 2020 as a campaign director after serving his time. He remained employed by the party until Sunday, Hanson said. Continue reading...

Queensland senator ‘steadfast’ in her support of former Australian soldier as police charge him with five counts of war crime – murderFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, says she will not “abandon” Ben Roberts-Smith despite his arrest over war crimes, as the Greens declare “no one should be above the law”.As the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, refused to weigh into Roberts-Smith’s arrest at Sydney airport on Tuesday morning, Hanson reaffirmed her long-held support for Australia’s most decorated living soldier. Continue reading...

One Nation leader says voters ‘want to get rid of the Labor party, by all means’ but rejects possibility of formal power-sharing partnershipFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson says One Nation wants to work with the Liberals and Nationals – including on preferences deals – to defeat Labor and has offered to prop-up a future minority Coalition government.But Hanson ruled out forming an official coalition with the two conservative parties, declaring she will never agree to an arrangement “where I will be told what I can say, what I can do”. Continue reading...

World-leading laws to be tested ahead of South Australian state election, complicated by Hanson and Bernardi’s political statusGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCory Bernardi says he will pay for multiple flights with Pauline Hanson in a plane registered to Gina Rinehart’s company amid confusion about whether the trips may contravene South Australia’s new laws banning political donations.Saturday’s SA election is the first since the new laws came into effect. There are a range of exemptions to the ban, but it is not clear if any of them apply to One Nation as parties, candidates and the electoral commission work through the “world-leading” laws for the first time. Continue reading...

One Nation and Coalition adopting reactionary tactics to win over frustrated and fearful voters, frontbencher Andrew Giles saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson and rightwing populists are cynically exploiting the frustrations of Australians who feel forgotten by government or left behind by poor education and job opportunities, Labor frontbencher Andrew Giles says.Accusing One Nation and the Coalition of adopting cynical and reactionary tactics to win over frustrated and fearful voters, Giles says better education is critical to stopping disenfranchisement with government and a weakening of democracy in Australia. Continue reading...

Exclusive: One Nation leader updates register after questions from the Guardian to include multiple flights courtesy of Rinehart’s companyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation senator Pauline Hanson has failed to properly declare more free flights gifted from mining billionaire Gina Rinehart – this time through her agricultural company S Kidman and Co.Senator Hanson updated her register on Tuesday to include multiple flights taken last year courtesy of Rinehart’s company following questions sent from the Guardian on Monday regarding a flight from Tamworth to Brisbane on 8 December last year. Continue reading...