Extract from ABC News
Secret recordings of senior One Nation figures revealed the party wanted millions of dollars in political donations from America's National Rifle Association (NRA) and discussed softening its policies on gun ownership as it tried to secure the funding.
Liberal Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham said Senator Hanson must explain why One Nation wanted donations from the powerful American gun lobby.
"Pauline Hanson should clearly front the camera today. She should explain whether or not she was truly seeking an amazing $20 million in foreign donations to One Nation, to her political party," he said.
"Whether or not she was again seeking to personally profit from an election campaign.
"Whether or not she believes we should be weakening Australia's gun laws."
The secret recording of Senator Hanson's chief of staff James Ashby and the party's Queensland leader Steve Dickson was broadcast as part of an undercover Al Jazeera investigation.
Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie, an avid sport shooting enthusiast, demanded Senator Hanson reveal whether she knew her staff were trying to secure foreign political donations.
"Were they acting on her instructions? Did she know they were there?" Senator McKenzie told Sky News.
The efforts to solicit money from the NRA and other US gun advocates took place just weeks before Australia's Federal Parliament changed electoral laws to ban foreign donations to political parties.
Senator Hanson supported that change when she voted in the Parliament.
There is no evidence One Nation was successful in any of its efforts to extract funding from the NRA, Koch Industries or any of the other American groups the two men met on their trip.
"This is exactly why our Government introduced foreign donation legislation, to ban this type of foregin influence in our political system," Senator McKenzie told the ABC.
But she said it would be a matter for National Party state divisions to determine where it preferences One Nation candidates at the next election.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted the revelations were "deeply concerning" and Attorney-General Christian Porter said "there is a real question that needs to be answered here".
In a statement, One Nation claimed Al Jazeera was meddling in the upcoming federal election and said it had referred the media company to ASIO.
The ABC has sought further comment from Senator Hanson.
"What a hypocrite One Nation and Pauline Hanson are. What this shows is just how phony their policies are," Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, a Queensland Nationals MP, echoed Senator Hanson-Young's critique of One Nation.
"When you see the hypocrisy, when you see on the 20th of December 2017 a One Nation post saying they are against foreign donations to political parties, then you have got to ask some questions — please explain?" he said.
Updated
There has been widespread condemnation for One Nation
as politicians demand answers from Pauline Hanson amid revelations her
party sought foreign funding to change Australia's gun laws.
Key points:
- One Nation staffers were secretly recorded seeking foreign political donations
- Politicians are demanding answers from One Nation leader Pauline Hanson
- They also want Ms Hanson to state her position on weakening gun laws
Secret recordings of senior One Nation figures revealed the party wanted millions of dollars in political donations from America's National Rifle Association (NRA) and discussed softening its policies on gun ownership as it tried to secure the funding.
Liberal Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham said Senator Hanson must explain why One Nation wanted donations from the powerful American gun lobby.
"Pauline Hanson should clearly front the camera today. She should explain whether or not she was truly seeking an amazing $20 million in foreign donations to One Nation, to her political party," he said.
"Whether or not she was again seeking to personally profit from an election campaign.
"Whether or not she believes we should be weakening Australia's gun laws."
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s attempt to get $10-20 million from the despicable US National Rifle Association to help them water down our gun laws is just obscene. Also the boast the $$ could “change the voting system” and “have the whole g'ment by the balls”. Please explain.
The secret recording of Senator Hanson's chief of staff James Ashby and the party's Queensland leader Steve Dickson was broadcast as part of an undercover Al Jazeera investigation.
Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie, an avid sport shooting enthusiast, demanded Senator Hanson reveal whether she knew her staff were trying to secure foreign political donations.
"Were they acting on her instructions? Did she know they were there?" Senator McKenzie told Sky News.
"And if so how can she explain, in the wake of the atrocities we've seen in Christchurch, watering down gun regulatory framework?"
'This is a party that says one thing and does another'
The efforts to solicit money from the NRA and other US gun advocates took place just weeks before Australia's Federal Parliament changed electoral laws to ban foreign donations to political parties.
Senator Hanson supported that change when she voted in the Parliament.
There is no evidence One Nation was successful in any of its efforts to extract funding from the NRA, Koch Industries or any of the other American groups the two men met on their trip.
"This is exactly why our Government introduced foreign donation legislation, to ban this type of foregin influence in our political system," Senator McKenzie told the ABC.
But she said it would be a matter for National Party state divisions to determine where it preferences One Nation candidates at the next election.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted the revelations were "deeply concerning" and Attorney-General Christian Porter said "there is a real question that needs to be answered here".
Reports that senior One Nation officials courted foreign political donations from the US gun lobby to influence our elections & undermine our gun laws that keep us safe are deeply concerning.
In a statement, One Nation claimed Al Jazeera was meddling in the upcoming federal election and said it had referred the media company to ASIO.
The ABC has sought further comment from Senator Hanson.
"What a hypocrite One Nation and Pauline Hanson are. What this shows is just how phony their policies are," Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"This is a party that says one thing when they are in front of a microphone and does something else when they don't think it is switched on."She demanded Mr Morrison pledge to put One Nation last on his party's how-to-vote cards at the election.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, a Queensland Nationals MP, echoed Senator Hanson-Young's critique of One Nation.
"When you see the hypocrisy, when you see on the 20th of December 2017 a One Nation post saying they are against foreign donations to political parties, then you have got to ask some questions — please explain?" he said.
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