Pauline Hanson sent ‘spiteful and vindictive’ text to ex-senator’s wife

Pauline Hanson has been accused of sending a former senator’s wife a “vindictive” text, claiming he sexually assaulted his staff.

A former senator used his power to “sexually harass staff in his office” before “unfairly dismissing them” through letters before Pauline Hanson sent a “spiteful and vindictive” text to his wife, a court has been told.

Brian Burston is suing the One Nation leader in Sydney’s Federal Court for defamation, claiming she falsely portrayed him as a pervert on Facebook, in an interview with a journalist and in a text message to his wife.

Mr Burston, 74, quit One Nation to join the United Australia Party in mid-2018 after a breakdown in his relationship with Senator Hanson and her chief of staff James Ashby.

Mr Burston sat at the back of the court with his wife, Rosalyn, on Wednesday as the trial wrapped up, with Ms Hanson’s barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC finishing her closing arguments.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court that Mr Burston repeatedly gave “dishonest answers” and “unbelievable” evidence, and if any damages were to be awarded, it should be to the amount of $1.

Barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC and Pauline Hanson, who is being sued for defamation in Sydney’s Federal Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The court was also told that Ms Hanson had read a speech to the Senate on February 12, 2019, alleging a senator was being investigated for sexual harassment.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court that Ms Hanson’s speech, which was prepared by Mr Ashby after he spoke to Mr Burston’s former staff about the claims, was evidence of her “state of mind”.

“She wouldn’t be saying those things unless she had evidence,” Ms Chrysanthou told the court.

On Tuesday, Mr Ashby told the court that he did not name any senator in the speech, which was based off “factual” evidence.

“At no time in this period did Mr Ashby or Senator Hanson name Mr Burston as being the person in the speech,” Ms Chrysanthou said.

“Even when directly questioned on Channel 7, she declined to name him.”

The court was told that Ms Hanson had parliamentary privilege and could have named Mr Burston in the speech but didn’t.

Ms Chrysanthou said while they wanted to warn Mr Burston, the purpose of Senator Hanson’s speech was to warn “others” who were engaging in similar conduct.

“It was about raising an important issue of sexual harassment,” she said.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court that it was “amply proved” that Mr Burston sexually harassed staff in his office through the evidence given by staffers Wendy Leach and Terrie-lea Vairy.

Brian Burston claims Senator Hanson falsely portrayed him as a pervert. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“His conduct was disgraceful,” she said.

Mr Burston has denied the allegations.

His barrister, Bruce McClintock SC, told the court that there was an “overwhelming” amount of malice in Senator Hanson’s actions, including in a text sent to Mrs Burston which was “spiteful, vindictive and an utter disgrace”.

In the text, sent to Mrs Burston in February 2019, Ms Hanson claimed her colleague was being “investigated for sexual harassment” and was “infatuated” with Ms Vairy.

“You won’t get to see the evidence all on text from him to her because it will be a closed decision and she will get her pay out and gagged,” Ms Hanson wrote in the text.

“They can’t all be wrong.”

The text continues with Senator Hanson making comments about what she claimed were Mr Burston’s feelings about his wife.

“He considers you to be nothing but a winging (sic) old bag turning out to be just like your mother who he wants to drop dead,” she wrote.

“He tells his staff he owns your home. Wake up to him. I have nothing to gain. I just believe you deserve to be treated with a bit more respect.”

Mr McClintock told the court that the text was an aim to break up Mr Burston’s marriage.

He told the court Ms Vairy had a “major problem” with her credibility and made up “entirely fabricated” stories in the witness box.

Pauline Hanson with lawyer Danny Eid, witness Terrie-lea Vairy (far right) and her daughter. Ms Vairy claims Mr Burston sexually harassed her. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Mr McClintock said Mr Ashby had also shown a degree of malice when he attempted to film Mr Burston and his wife in the lobby of a Parliament House dinner in February 2019.

The court heard Mr Ashby was waiting for Ms Hanson to leave the dinner when the couple left and he began to film them, while asking Mr Burston what he thought of the “sexual harassment cases”.

Mr Burston grabbed the phone out of the staffer’s hands and threw it across the room, prompting Mr Ashby to move his filming to his wife.

“It was absolutely disgraceful, to do that to an elderly woman,” Mr McClintock told the court.

“Mr Ashby had no business attempting to film or take photos of my client in the marble hall of parliament.

“Mr Ashby having a shred of decency should have stopped, but he didn’t.”

Mr McClintock told the court the text message was “proof” Ms Hanson “hated” his client.

He said it showed Ms Hanson “detested Mr Burston” and wanted to “do him harm”.

“The text message is inherently and intrinsically malicious,” Mr McClintock said.

Mr McClintock finished his closing argument on Wednesday afternoon, saying they would be the last words he would “ever say to a court” due to his upcoming retirement.

Justice Robert Bromwich has reserved judgment.