James Ashby banned from Parliament House over clash with Brian Burston

A grubby war between Brian Burston and James Ashby has culminated in him being banned from Parliament House.

James Ashby arriving at Parliament House in Canberra earlier today. Picture: Kym Smith

A grubby war between United Australia Party senator Brian Burston and Pauline Hanson’s controversial chief of staff James Ashby has culminated in him being banned from Parliament House indefinitely, as the parties trade barbs over sexual harassment allegations.

Senator Burston, a former One Nation senator, also confessed to the extraordinary action of smearing blood on Senator Hanson’s ­office door after he was involved in a scuffle with Mr Ashby on Wednesday night outside the Great Hall.

Senate President Scott Ryan announced late yesterday he had revoked Mr Ashby’s parlia­mentary pass — which was taken off him yesterday — and the ­staffer would be prohibited from re-­entering the building “for the time being” over inappropriate ­behaviour.

A witness to the tussle, which could be the first fight between two pass-holders in the building’s history, said Mr Ashby provoked Senator Burston as he was leaving a Minerals Council of Australia dinner and tensions became heated when the staffer turned his camera on the parliamentarian’s wife. Senator Burston allegedly threw Mr Ashby’s phone away and also pushed him.

One Nation and Clive Palmer’s UAP will go head to head ­­in ­several seats at the federal election, with Mr Palmer vowing to preference Senator Hanson’s party last.

But the bitter feud between Senator Burston and Mr Ashby goes back until at least midway through last year. Senator Burston accused Mr Ashby of harassing and threatening him for some time and claimed he had instigated the fight for political purposes.

The Australian Federal Police confirmed it would look at ­whether to investigate the Wednesday night incident after Senator Burston referred the matter to the authorities.

Senator Hanson said Senator Burston needed anger management as she laughed off his alle­gations she had sexually harassed him during their 20-year working relationship, including at One ­Nation’s inaugural AGM at Rooty Hill RSL.

“It’s retaliation and it’s a shame that this has happened in parliament — it’s not what I wanted to see happened,” she said.

“(Senator Burston) needs to get some anger management. There’s problems in his office. It’s a real shame, I don’t like to see this.”

The One Nation leader used parliamentary privilege on Tuesday to express disappointment over an unnamed married senator’s “horrible treatment of staff” and alleged sexual harassment towards a former female employee.

Senator Burston believed Senator Hanson was referring to him.

The Department of Finance ­refused to say whether it was investigating a sexual harassment complaint against the senator.

One of Senator Burston’s former employees told The Australian they were aware of at least three staff members who had filed unfair dismissal claims against him and received payouts from the ­commonwealth.

Senator Brian Burston in the Senate Chamber today. Picture: Kym Smith