One Nation has confirmed it will seek a “forensic audit” to authenticate its online fundraising drive that pledges to oust Anthony Albanese as leader, after the Prime Minister cast doubt on its legitimacy.
The fundraiser – titled “Fire the Liar” – has amassed more than $1.9 million in donations in less than 48 hours after going live. But unlike most online donation tools, there is no publicly accessible record of donation names or amounts.
When asked about Pauline Hanson’s sizeable fundraising effort, Mr Albanese responded by questioning the figures. “Did she though? Did she though? What evidence is there? It’s an example of slogans being put forward, (they) are not substance,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Sydney, in response to a question citing the donation figures. He later avoided answering if he believed Senator Hanson had raised the funds. “Well, you work it out … this is someone who got a plane worth more than that given to her by Australia’s richest person,” he said.
Audit Announced
A One Nation spokesman told NewsWire the audit would be conducted in response to Mr Albanese’s “pathetic attempts” to discredit the “28,000 Australians who have made a donation”. They confirmed the single biggest donation was $15,000.
Targeting Labor Strongholds
On Wednesday, Senator Hanson told a Perth fundraiser the proceeds of this newly bolstered war chest would be used to target the Labor stronghold of WA, which she described as being on her “hit list”, as well as the seats of government ministers. The Australian Financial Review reported Senator Hanson singled out the seats of frontbenchers Tony Burke, Clare O’Neil and Resources Minister Madeleine King in her speech.
But the far right leader’s appearance in WA was not without controversy, sparking a major protest organised by the WA Socialists and WA Greens. Hundreds of demonstrators spilt on the street outside the Midland venue, holding signs that opposed Senator Hanson’s links to billionaire Gina Rinehart and criticised One Nation’s migration policies as racist.
Political Reactions
Foreign Minister Penny Wong later dismissed questions around the scale of the fundraiser, telling ABC Radio National: “I’m less interested in what Pauline Hanson fundraises, I’m more concerned about One Nation’s policies”. “One Nation will continue to press for its political interests. What we will press for is what we believe is good for the country,” Senator Wong said. Asked if she believed One Nation’s platform was legitimate, Senator Wong insisted the government would deal with the far-right party as a “political party”.
“We will deal with them by continuing to deliver real change to Australians and by demonstrating that they really have no answers,” she said. “I don’t think the policies that (Senator Hanson) puts forward really are good for the country. And it’s very clear to me that she’s working with Angus Taylor and the Liberal Party in support of that side of politics.”
Rising Popularity
Recent opinion polls show One Nation has edged past Labor to become the most popular political party in Australia. A May Redbridge poll’s worst-case scenario showed the Coalition wiped out in Queensland where they would retain zero seats if a federal election were held imminently, with the Nationals wiped out of the lower house entirely. The same modelling showed One Nation would win between 46 to 59 seats.
