One Nation clash: Pauline Hanson rejects Brian Burston’s ‘breach of process’ claim
PAULINE Hanson has accused former colleague Brian Burston of trying to destroy One Nation after he called for authorities to investigate an alleged ‘breach of process’ by the party.
National
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News.
PAULINE Hanson has accused her former colleague Brian Burston of trying to destroy One Nation after he called for election authorities to investigate an alleged “breach of process” by the party.
Fairfax Media reports Senator Burston — who recently jumped ship to join billionaire Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party — has written to the NSW Electoral Commission to claim One Nation may have breached commission rules to register as a party in NSW ahead of the state’s upcoming election in March.
In the letter, he reportedly claimed the possible breach “may amount to electoral fraud”.
It comes amid speculation Senator Hanson is seeking to enlist former Labor leader Mark Latham as a star candidate for One Nation’s NSW Senate ticket at the next federal election.
The former Labor leader fuelled the rumours yesterday after he voiced a robo-call for One Nation urging voters not to trust Opposition leader Bill Shorten.
In his letter to the electoral commission, Senator Burston reportedly wrote: “It appears to me that the registration of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has relied upon ‘members’ who are not party members.”
“As a member of the Senate, I am obligated to report this alleged breach of process to you, which may amount to electoral fraud.”
The Senator’s letter reportedly included a declaration from his brother, Graham Burston, who claimed that some of the ‘members’ he signed up to allow the party to register were not actually members.
The party needed 750 names to register in NSW.
Graham Burston reportedly wrote in his statement that One Nation requested that he sign up as many members as possible “after the party had failed in its first attempt at registration”.
“I collected 13 signed forms dated around the end of December 2017. To my knowledge none of the forms were signed by current members of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party,” he said.
“No membership fees were collected.”
Senator Hanson has rejected the concerns over NSW registration as “absolute rubbish” and told Fairfax Media Senator Burston was trying to “destroy the party”.
One Nation’s NSW secretary Peter Breen has also dismissed the concerns, telling the publication the party had approved membership fees being waived for individuals who signed up.