Australian Electoral Commission Reviews One Nation Public Funding Claim

The Australian Electoral Commission questioned Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party over more than $800,000 of claimed electoral expenditure for the last federal election. Documents obtained under freedom of information laws show the commission queried 143 expense items in the party’s claim for more than $6 million in public funding.

The party withdrew more than 140 items after receiving the commission’s questions in late October. A senior compliance officer requested additional descriptions of goods and services and the dominant purpose of the expenditure.

The commission is now examining whether the party breached electoral funding laws for payments made to certain suppliers that were reimbursed in the claim. The AEC said the release of supplier information could prejudice an ongoing investigation. One Nation received the funding based on its 6.4% national vote share and Senate performance.

The party submitted its final claim in November after the voluntary withdrawals. The commission has previously required the party to repay public funding after the 2019 and 2022 elections. In 2021 the AEC placed the party under an enforceable undertaking after finding it claimed about $165,000 in expenses that were either not electoral expenditure or had not been incurred.