Pauline Hanson has revealed that she considers billionaire Gina Rinehart as an unofficial policy adviser to herself and her party, One Nation. This disclosure comes as the Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, ruled out a joint election strategy with One Nation, stating that the Coalition will compete against Labor in every seat.
Canavan Rejects Joint Strategy
Matt Canavan dismissed calls from some Liberal MPs, including Tony Pasin, for a seat-sharing agreement with One Nation. Pasin had suggested that the Liberals and One Nation should collaborate to identify which seats each party could target more effectively. However, Canavan emphasized his focus on removing the current government and welcomed competition from all parties.
“I am focused on removing this terrible government … We will compete against Labor everywhere to do that. I welcome all parties running. Competition is a good thing,” Canavan said.
Support for Hanson’s Campaign
Despite rejecting a formal alliance, Canavan voiced support for Pauline Hanson’s “fire the liar” fundraising campaign, which claims to have raised over $3 million within 48 hours. The campaign’s website briefly went down on Friday morning but later showed donations exceeding $3 million.
“I welcome everybody trying to take down this government, because that is the first step. So, good on One Nation for doing this,” Canavan told Sky News. He encouraged One Nation to target Labor MPs, noting that Hanson has often campaigned against Liberal and National members.
Labor’s Response
Labor has dismissed One Nation’s donation claims, questioning the validity of the independent audit that verified the funds. The audit was completed in just a few hours, leading to skepticism from Labor figures.
Wayne Swan, Labor’s outgoing federal president and former treasurer, called the fundraiser a “cover-up” for One Nation’s billionaire donors, including Gina Rinehart. He doubted the $2 million figure and suggested the party was raising money from high-net-worth individuals, including through events with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
“We never know whether it’s true, but what we do know is that they are raising a lot of money from high net worth individuals, including going to Mar-a-Lago to raise it with Donald Trump,” Swan told Channel Nine. “This is a complete smokescreen … It’s a complete farce,” he added.
Rinehart’s Influence on One Nation Policy
On Thursday, Hanson revealed the extent of Rinehart’s influence on One Nation policy, describing her as a “friend” and expressing gratitude for her support. She highlighted Rinehart’s contribution to a policy allowing pensioners to work unlimited hours without losing their pension or healthcare card.
“My policy on pensioners being able to work unlimited hours and without losing their pension or healthcare card came from Mrs Rinehart. And I think that’s great. I listen to anyone who brings good policy to me,” Hanson said.
Guardian Australia has previously reported on the close relationship between Hanson and Rinehart, including the gift of a new private plane worth over $1.5 million. Prior to this, Hanson and other politicians, including Barnaby Joyce, had frequently used Rinehart’s private jet.
Hanson defended Rinehart against criticism, stating, “I consider her a friend and I’m very … grateful for her support. She’s an Australian identity, she’s one of the highest taxpayers in the country… I won’t have anyone have a go because she’s, you know, OK, she’s a billionaire.”
