Pauline Hanson’s leadership questioned by Jennifer Game as One Nation split deepens
The furore engulfing One Nation is intensifying, with doubts over Pauline Hanson’s future cast by a former candidate.
SA News
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Former One Nation candidate Jennifer Game is questioning Pauline Hanson’s leadership future as she defends daughter Sarah’s decision to quit over the party’s image.
In an open letter, Ms Game fires back at Senator Hanson for accusing Sarah Game of quitting the party because her mother would “stop looking after her children if she wasn’t preselected” for next year’s state election.
Ms Game insists it “is almost impossible” for state upper house independent Sarah Game “to find paid babysitters at short notice”, particularly when parliament is sitting later than expected.
Arguing her daughter’s decision to become an independent was “no real surprise”, Ms Game said Sarah had faced difficulties with “some individuals and advocacy groups, who refused to work with her because of the way One Nation is perceived”.
“The moment Sarah decided to sit as an independent member of parliament, the national executive decided to avoid facing the truth about the party brand and its failure to increase its share of primary voters,” Ms Jennifer Game’s letter says.
“The real story is the future of One Nation, given the rumours about who will take over leadership of the party when Pauline retires, given she is now 71 and would be 74 in 2028, if she were to seek another six-year (Senate) term.”
Ms Game, the party’s SA unsuccessful Senate candidate at the May 3 election, does not elaborate on the rumours, but accuses Senator Hanson of concentrating decision-making power on the party’s national executive.
“I am not unhappy leaving a party which continues to generate bad stories … I support my daughter’s decision to sit as an independent in the South Australian parliament,” she says.
“I am blessed with being part of the lives of my grandchildren and daughter.”
The Sunday Mail on May 18 revealed Sarah Game was quitting the party, blaming insurmountable problems with “the way the One Nation brand is perceived” and declaring she wanted to “advocate for all South Australians, regardless of their heritage or religious beliefs”.
Her dramatic resignation sparked widespread party fury from “blindsided” colleagues and her mother, Jennifer Game, also quit after being refused state preselection.
Senator Hanson’s chief of staff, James Ashby, alleged Jennifer Game was told she would not be the party’s top upper house candidate for next year’s state election – which her daughter supported and was prepared to resign her spot for her mother.
He said the party would not be “held to ransom” as he alleged “Jennifer issued a distressing ultimatum to both Sarah and the party, demanding a nomination to the state parliament”.
Senator Hanson on Friday said Sarah Game expressed fears Jennifer Game would “stop looking after her children if she wasn’t preselected” in SA.
“I told her One Nation is a political party not a childcare centre,” Senator Hanson said.
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Originally published as Pauline Hanson’s leadership questioned by Jennifer Game as One Nation split deepens
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