Explosive Allegations Rock One Nation as Former Leader Speaks Out
In a dramatic parliamentary address, former One Nation New South Wales leader Mark Latham has launched a scathing attack against his old party, unleashing a torrent of allegations regarding financial misconduct and improper practices. Protected by parliamentary privilege, which legally shields MPs from defamation suits for statements made in connection with their parliamentary duties, Latham delivered his incendiary remarks during a debate on electoral law reforms on Thursday evening.
Allegations of Financial Misconduct and Cash Laundering
Latham accused figures within One Nation of engaging in what he described as 'financial scams,' cash-laundering activities, and the 'nefarious' misuse of taxpayer-funded political money. He claimed the party had been operating 'a conveyor belt of financial misconduct,' with national officials allegedly siphoning NSW funds to Queensland for improper purposes.
'Queensland One Nation were taking the NSW administrative money and paying it into a bank account in Brisbane,' Latham told the chamber, recounting his time with the party. He characterized this alleged behavior as 'the equivalent of theft,' revealing that he had confronted then-national secretary Rod Miles in a fiery phone call, threatening to report the matter to police unless the money was returned promptly.
According to Latham, Miles complied after their conversation, but the former leader insisted this was just one example of systemic issues. He further alleged that the party's extensive merchandise sales served as a deliberate vehicle for cash manipulation, stating, 'For what had been a small party, they've got more merchandise than a $2 shop in the main street of Campbelltown.'
Latham warned: 'If the cash is available, it can be laundered and distributed for any purpose.'Targeting Hanson and Ashby
The allegations extended directly to party leader Pauline Hanson and her adviser James Ashby, with Latham claiming that funds raised by One Nation 'certainly' paid their private legal expenses. He added he was 'pretty sure that some of the cash gets laundered into their own personal purposes,' emphasizing, 'That's the problem with cash in politics. Nobody really knows where it's going.'
Latham recounted multiple scandals involving Ashby, whom he labeled 'a faceless crook, obsessed with financial scams, who defies the wishes of his boss and does what he likes.' He highlighted the infamous Al Jazeera sting operation, in which Ashby was filmed seeking support from the US National Rifle Association, commenting, 'You'd have to be an absolute moron to not know he wasn't a plant.'
According to Latham, Hanson privately agreed with him that Ashby should not travel to the United States due to the illegality and political toxicity of accepting foreign money, which he described as 'the equivalent of foreign interference.' However, Ashby allegedly ignored these warnings and proceeded with the trip.
Criticism of Media and Calls for Reform
Latham also took aim at Sky News hosts Peter Credlin, Andrew Bolt, and Paul Murray, accusing them of giving Ashby undeserved legitimacy. 'It is to their discredit… that they associate with this shyster,' he declared.
The former One Nation figure urged stronger legal safeguards to prevent interstate officials from controlling NSW party finances, stating, 'You can't have the New South Wales admin money being run by a committee of Queenslanders.' He welcomed new government amendments requiring party agents and senior office-holders to be enrolled voters in NSW as a step in the right direction.
Historical Context and Internal Tensions
Latham ended his extraordinary speech by claiming One Nation has a long history of pushing Queensland influence within national structures, alleging a pattern of 'financial scams, cash, and even senators.' He warned voters, 'If you vote for One Nation you're not voting for Pauline Hanson. You're voting for James Ashby and his financial scams.'
He further criticized the party for nominating Sean Bell, a then-Queensland resident, to fill a NSW Senate vacancy left by Warwick Stacey, who resigned before being sworn into Parliament.
Mark Latham joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation in late 2018, quickly becoming the party's high-profile leader in NSW and its most prominent parliamentary figure. He led its ticket at the 2019 NSW election and returned to the Legislative Council after the 2023 poll. However, internal tensions simmered for years, particularly around James Ashby's influence, with Latham repeatedly clashing with federal figures over interference in NSW affairs.
In August 2023, One Nation officially sacked Latham as NSW leader, after which he resigned from the party entirely to sit as an independent, blasting the national leadership for dysfunction and financial mismanagement. The Daily Mail has contacted Senator Pauline Hanson for comment in response to these allegations.
