One Nation's rapid national expansion of local branches is in disarray, with the party forced to dissolve and re-establish its new network less than eight months after the rollout began. Documents seen by Guardian Australia reveal that the party's new general manager, Kelvin Morton, issued a directive in April ordering committee members to reconstitute branches after an internal review uncovered 'significant risks'.
The correspondence shows that new branches and members will be subject to strict gag orders, including non-disclosure agreements, a 'media silence' policy, and a social media ban. This has upset some members, given One Nation's frequent billing as the party of free speech. Its policy platform states that the right to free speech should be enshrined in the constitution.
One Nation announced in August last year it would roll out branches in every federal electorate as 'the engine room of our grassroots movement'. However, the review found 'inconsistencies' in branch structures that could leave them vulnerable to legal challenge. The April directive noted discrepancies such as missing or incorrect formal establishment minutes and non-compliant processes for electing committee roles.
Morton stated that if documentation was flawed, 'the very existence of a branch can be legally challenged', and that decisions could be overturned, leaving the party in 'legal and operational jeopardy'. He emphasised the need for a 'professional, scalable, and legally robust organisation' ahead of the next election, calling the requirements 'non-negotiable'.
An 'urgent' communication on 14 May showed that some branches failed to comply and have since been forcibly dissolved. The party's vetting process includes a 10-year 'clean record' test using the ONTRACE method. Concerns have previously been raised about 'chaos' in the party's head office, including high staff turnover and a 'dysfunctional' culture.
