Inside One Nation sexual harassment allegations at Pauline Hanson defamation trial

A court has heard explosive claims a former One Nation senator was “infatuated” with his staffer and “repeatedly” sexually harassed her.

A former senator “repeatedly” sexually harassed and sent “creepy photos” to one of his female staffers because he was “infatuated” with her, a court has been told.

Brian Burston is suing One Nation leader Pauline Hanson 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.

Senator Hanson claims what she said was true.

Mr Burston 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.

BURSTON ‘MADE UP STORIES’

Sue Chrysanthou SC, representing Senator Hanson, began the defence’s closing submissions on Tuesday afternoon, where she told the court Mr Burston “told untruths” throughout his evidence.

Brian Burston is suing One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in Sydney’s Federal Court for defamation, claiming she falsely portrayed him as a pervert. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Ms Chrysanthou told the court the former senator gave “wholly unsatisfactory and unbelievable” evidence.

She said Mr Burston’s defence is always denial “until he is caught out”.

“His initial response is deny, deny, deny and then when he is caught he tries to make up a new story,” Ms Chrysanthou said.

“He denied the blood on the door, which was caught on CCTV, then he says he is so traumatised he can’t remember the disgusting act.”

Ms Chrysanthou said not only did he allegedly lie in the witness box, but Mr Burston also “made up utterly bizarre stories”.

“We say he lies and when he’s caught with documents he makes up some fanciful story and deflects,” she told the court.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS

Ms Chrysanthou said staffer Terrie-lea Vairy “repeatedly” told the former senator she was uncomfortable with how he was texting her.

“That is sexual harassment, the end,” the barrister said.

Pauline Hanson is being sued in the Federal Court for defamation. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“She gets a sexualised text that is unwelcomed, that is sexual harassment.”

Ms Chrysanthou said Mr Burston also lied over a text he sent Ms Vairy which said “I hope you got a nice lashing”.

Earlier in the trial, the former senator claimed the text was his “sense of humour”.

“He has lied to try and hide his conduct by making claims he never uses this language that is plainly false, we’ve seen the text messages,” Ms Chrysanthou told the court.

PUBLIC BREAKDOWN

Earlier in the day, One Nation strategist Mr Ashby told the court he called Mr Burston “traitorous c**t” in a message after he says he was hit with a barrage of texts from the “serial text pest”.

Brian Burston has been dubbed “antagonistic” and was “not looked upon favourably” by Mr Ashby.

James Ashby told a court Mr Burston was a “traitorous senator”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The relationship between Mr Burston and his former One Nation colleagues became so “antagonistic” they were told to keep away from each other around parliament, the court was told.

Mr Ashby told the court that before Mr Burston left the party, he and Senator Hanson had “lengthy conversations” about his future as a senator.

“Senator Hanson was not keen on re-endorsing somebody who hadn’t performed,” Mr Ashby said.

“She said Mr Burston was lazy.”

STAFFER COMPLAINTS

Mr Ashby told the court that he was contacted by Mr Burston’s former staffer, Wendy Leach, who claims she was sacked by the former senator after she spoke out about his alleged infatuation with another staffer.

“Ms Leach informed me at that time that Mr Burston had offered her a “good f**k” because she wasn’t feeling well,” Mr Ashby said.

The court was told that Mr Ashby told Senator Hanson everything, with the pair later meeting Ms Leach for lunch to discuss the allegations.

Mr Ashby said he discouraged Ms Leach from going to the media with her claims against Mr Burston.

He was also contacted by Ms Vairy, who told Mr Ashby she was made to feel uncomfortable by Mr Burston.

“There were a number of issues she raised about his constant touching … he stated that he apparently loved her,” Mr Ashby told the court.

Former senator Brian Burston and his wife Rosalyn. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

THE SENATE SPEECH

After speaking to both women, Mr Ashby drafted a speech about the sexual harassment allegations that Senator Hanson read to the Senate on February 12, 2019.

Mr Ashby told the court the speech did not name anyone and it was “short and to the point”.

“It was a very to-the-point speech that discussed the issues that both these women had raised with me,” Mr Ashby said.

“She was happy to read it.”

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

He said he was hoping the speech would cause Mr Burston to “rethink his actions”.

“Parliament has a history, and I am well aware of its history, of elected parliament officials and senators that has been disgraceful for the behaviour of their staff,” Mr Ashby said.

“It was a shot across the bow to Mr Burston and any other elected member of parliament who thought it was OK to treat their staff in that way.”

PARLIAMENT FIGHT

The following night, Mr Burston, Senator Hanson and Mr Ashby attended a Minerals Council dinner at Parliament House, where Mr Ashby was made aware of an article involving allegations that Ms Hanson had sexually harassed Mr Burston since 1998.

Mr Ashby told the court that he immediately told Ms Hanson and requested they go back to her office to “deal with it”.

James Ashby and former senator Brian Burston during the clash in Parliament House. Picture: Geoff Chambers / The Australian

As he was waiting outside the hall for his boss, Mr Burston and his wife Rosalyn were also leaving.

“When they came out I attempted to take some video footage … Mr Burston approached me, grabbed the phone out of my hand, told me to f**k off and threw the phone,” Mr Ashby said.

“I picked the phone back up, I then asked Mrs Burston of what she thought of the sexual harassment allegations and she said go away James.

“As we continued to walk towards the Senate entry Mr Burston continued to push and shove and again attempted to take the phone from my hand.”

When Senator Hanson finally left the dinner with Mr Ashby to go back to her office, he told the court they found blood smeared all over the office door.

He said it was “smeared across the door like some hex”.

“We were all miffed by it,” Mr Ashby told the court.

The fight in Parliament House was captured on film.

‘SERIAL TEXT PEST’

Mr Burston’s lawyer, Bruce McClintock SC, questioned Mr Ashby on why he responded to a message from his client with “f**k off idiot”.

“Your client is a serial text pest, that’s why he got the response,” Mr Ashby told the court.

Mr Burston had sent a Newspoll result and said he thought Mr Ashby “might like to see” how One Nation was doing.

“Better than you, you traitorous c**t,” Mr Ashby replied.

When questioned if he thought it was appropriate to call Mr Burston a c**t and it showed a “degree of antagonism”, Mr Ashby told the court that it was warranted.

“Your client was antagonistic and a serial text pest,” Mr Ashby responded.

“He was terrible in his text messages, he was goading, your client is no angel.”

The trial continues.