Mark Latham quits One Nation claiming $270,000 fraud bid

Mark Latham has sensationally quit One Nation following Pauline Hanson’s bid to sack him as leader, alleging attempts to defraud $270,000 in electoral funds.

One Nation party leader Pauline Hanson with Mark Latham in 2018. Picture: AAP

One Nation has been left in disarray after NSW leader Mark Latham quit the party following Pauline Hanson’s bid to sack him as state leader, alleging attempts to defraud $270,000 in NSW Electoral Commission funds.

Mr Latham claimed in a letter tabled in parliament on Tuesday that Senator Hanson had “complained about my intervention hysterically” in a phone call late last year when he threatened to go to the police over the alleged misappropriation of funds.

Fellow One Nation MP Rod Roberts also resigned from the party on Tuesday, leaving Tania Mihailuk as One Nation’s last remaining MP in NSW parliament.

Mr Latham tabled a letter to Special Minister of State John Graham detailing his allegations of rorting and urging that they be referred “to the relevant authorities for immediate investigation and action”. Mr Graham has referred the allegations to the NSW Electoral Commission.

Mr Latham and Mr Roberts will sit as independents.

“I cannot remain a member as One Nation MP due to past attempts at defrauding the NSW election funds, and the appointment of a new state executive orchestrated to repeat these rorts,” Mr Latham told parliament.

Senator Hanson hit back, saying party finances were subjected to regular audits by chartered accountants and the NSW and Australian electoral commissions. “I utterly reject the allegations made by these individuals under the protection of parliamentary privilege,” she said.

Senator Hanson earlier this month disbanded One Nation’s state executive, which had been led by Mr Latham, citing a disastrous swing against the party in the March state election.

Mr Latham responded by accusing Senator Hanson of taking over the NSW branch “without consultation or due process” and claimed he had “stood in the way of attempts to misuse our funds”.

Mr Latham fell out with Senator Hanson over a homophobic tweet in which he said independent MP Alex Greenwich engaged in “disgusting” sexual ­activities. Senator Hanson slammed the comments and called on Mr Latham to apologise.

In his letter to Mr Graham, Mr Latham said he was alerted in September 2021 that payments from the NSW Electoral Commission’s administration fund had been redirected to the party’s Brisbane office where they were used to purchase conveyor belts and merchandise. The merchandise was to be on-sold to raise funds for the next federal election.

“I said this was the equivalent of theft and under no circumstances should it occur,” he said.