One Nation’s newest senator Fraser Anning abandons Pauline Hanson

One Nation’s newest senator Fraser Anning has sensationally defected within hours of being sworn in to the Senate.

One Nation’s new Senator Fraser Anning was escorted into the chamber by senators Cory Benardi and David Leyonhjelm. Picture” Gary Ramage

One Nation’s newest senator Fraser Anning has defected within hours of being sworn-in, causing a major upset for Pauline Hanson who now has just three votes in the chamber.

Senator Anning’s shock move follows weeks of internal party tensions and revelations Senator Hanson had wanted him to resign to allow for the return of Malcolm Roberts.

A long-time supporter and friend of Senator Hanson’s, Senator Anning replaced Mr Roberts as a Queensland One Nation MP after the High Court found last month that the latter was ineligible to sit in parliament because he was a dual British citizen when he nominated.

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm, who with Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi escorted Senator Anning into the upper house this morning for his swearing in, said he was aware Senator Anning had been “under pressure to resign” to make way for Mr Roberts.

If Senator Anning had resigned, he would have created a casual vacancy that could have been filled by Mr Roberts.

“I understand things became acrimonious but I expected them to be patched up,” Senator Leyonhjelm said. “Apparently that didn’t occur and there was further acrimony this morning.

“James Ashby (Senator Hanson’s chief of staff) and Pauline were keen for him to stand down in favour of Malcolm and that was an initiating factor.

“Fraser had said that he doesn’t expect to sit as a One Nation senator but beyond that I don’t know what his intentions are.”

Senator Hanson said Senator Anning had “abandoned” the party to stand as an independent “until something else comes along” and acknowledged her preference had been for Mr Roberts to be reinstalled as a One Nation senator.

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Senator Hanson said she had attempted to contact Senator Anning before the High Court’s “citizenship seven” ruling more than two weeks ago but “those efforts fell on deaf ears”.

“I was forced to communicate through Fraser’s brother while I was travelling through North Queensland in September,” she said.

“I indicated to Harry Anning at the time, that given the work Malcolm Roberts had achieved as chair of the banking inquiry and his role in challenging climate change, it would be in the federal party’s and Australia’s best interest for Malcolm Roberts to be returned to the Senate.

“I was disappointed (Senator) Anning made no attempt to contact me or any One Nation executive member off the back of multiple requests to discuss his future plans. Instead he chose to release scathing media releases demanding I pledge my support to him without even meeting or speaking to him.”

Senator Anning, a father of two and grandfather, took his seat in the Senate despite only receiving 19 first-preferences votes in the last federal election. The Weekend Australian reported on Saturday about speculation of a rift between Senator Hanson and Mr Anning. They had not spoken since news broke on October 2 that creditors had withdrawn a bankruptcy petition against Senator Anning and his wife, Fiona, over debts associated with an investment in a failed agribusiness scheme. Bankruptcy would have blocked his Senate move.

Asked by The Weekend Australian whether he had a good working relationship with Senator Hanson, he said: “Well, hopefully, with Pauline there is. I am not sure about others around her, but with Pauline, as far as I know, we are fine. Maybe, some of her advisers may not be on side as much and I am not sure why.’’

It is believed Senator ­Anning was referring to Mr Ashby.

In the interview with The Weekend Australian, Senator Anning said that he owed his election to Senator Hanson and would remain loyal. “My allegiance has always been to One Nation and Pauline, to Pauline first and her policies,’’ he said. “I am not about to turn my back on that.’’

Asked if he was thinking about joining another party or “going independent’’ he said “No, no, not unless someone told me they didn’t want me’’.

Senator Anning said he was under no illusion that he was in the parliament because of voter support for Senator Hanson and the One Nation senate ticket, of which he was third behind Senator Hanson and Mr Roberts. “Really, it would be the height of arrogance to think it was a vote for me,’’ he said. “It was a vote for Pauline always as it is for all the people that were running for her, they are voting for Pauline. She’s the person that is saying the right things and she is one that is known.’’

There is speculation within crossbench circles that Senator Anning could join the Liberal Democrats or Australian Conservatives rather than sit as an independent, which would again change the dynamics of the crossbench.

Senators Leyonhjelm and Bernardi work together regularly and could gain a third ally in Senator Anning, giving them the same numbers as One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team.

Senator Hanson accused previous employees in Mr Roberts’ office of making contact with Senator Anning “several months ago” and encouraging him to move to the Australian Conservatives party in the event he replaced Mr Roberts in the Senate.

The Australian understands a number of Senator Anning’s staff used to work for Mr Roberts but either resigned or were forced to quit amid internal party tensions.

Senator Hanson said she had refused a number of his staff from entering a One Nation party room meeting this morning.

MEDIA RELEASE | Fraser Anning abandons One Nation.

LINK: https://t.co/pTkrqB6zek #auspol pic.twitter.com/hTllbNIo0l

— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) November 13, 2017

“(Senator) Anning was advised that David Goodridge, Leon Ashby, Richard Howard and Boston White were not welcome to this morning’s party room meeting, because of their disloyalty to their former employer and myself,” Senator Hanson said.

She said her remaining senators Brian Burston and Peter Georgiou had been asked to mediate with Senator Anning to “find common ground” but were informed he would stand as an independent moments before being sworn-in to the Senate.

While it is a significant blow for One Nation, Senator Hanson will still have the power to veto government bills if Labor and Greens also oppose the legislation.

The government needs to win over 10 of 12 Senate crossbenchers if it cannot gain the support of Labor or the Greens.

With Michael McKenna