Pauline Hanson's Undeclared Flights from Mining Billionaire Gina Rinehart Spark Senate Rule Concerns
One Nation senator Pauline Hanson has failed to properly declare multiple free flights gifted by mining billionaire Gina Rinehart through her agricultural company S Kidman and Co. Hanson updated her register of interests on Tuesday to include these flights after questions from Guardian Australia regarding a specific flight from Tamworth to Brisbane on December 8 last year.
Multiple Flights Added to Register After Media Inquiry
The declaration now includes the Tamworth-to-Brisbane flight, along with two other flights for the News Corp bush summit in August 2023. Hanson traveled from Brisbane to Toowoomba on August 24, then from Toowoomba to Canberra the following day. This brings the total to five private flights from Rinehart's companies that the Queensland senator failed to declare in accordance with Senate rules until being questioned by journalists.
The undeclared December 8 flight occurred on the same day former Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce announced his defection to One Nation. Hanson and Joyce made the announcement on Tamworth radio that morning, pledging to hold both Labor and the opposition accountable. Flight-tracking data shows a Pilatus PC-12 registered to Kidman and Co departed Tamworth airport at 10:30 PM on December 8, landing in Brisbane one hour later.
Senate Rules and Potential Consequences
Under Senate regulations, any sponsored hospitality, travel, or gift valued over $300 must be declared to the Senate registrar within 35 days. The rules state that any senator who knowingly fails to notify such alterations within this timeframe is guilty of a serious contempt of the Senate and shall be dealt with accordingly. However, determining if a senator has committed such contempt requires referral to the Privileges Committee for inquiry and report.
Hanson's office refused to provide an explanation for the missed disclosures and did not respond to Guardian Australia's questions. On Tuesday afternoon, the register was further updated to include flights provided to Hanson for the South Australian election campaign, traveling from Brisbane to regional centers in the state.
Additional Disclosures and Contradictory Statements
The disclosure included a note expressing gratitude to S. Kidman CEO Adam Giles, who represents the legacy of Sir Sidney Kidman, born in Adelaide in 1857 and a legendary figure in Australia's cattle industry. Hanson added, "It's also wonderful catching a flight that doesn't try and welcome me to my own country each time it touches down."
New South Wales One Nation senator Sean Bell also updated his register of interests on Tuesday afternoon to declare that he was on the same S Kidman and Co flight from Tamworth to Brisbane on December 8.
Hanson has made contradictory statements about Rinehart's support for One Nation. At a February press conference, when asked about flights gifted from Rinehart's company Hancock Prospecting, Hanson stated, "If you are going to try to say that I am being funded by Gina Rinehart, the answer is no." However, in a podcast recorded the week before, she said she was happy to acknowledge that Rinehart is "very much behind me," expressing appreciation for the support after years of struggling with fundraising.
Previous Undisclosed Flights and Taxpayer Expenses
Guardian Australia revealed in December 2023 that Hanson failed to properly declare that she and her chief of staff, James Ashby, had received flights from Rinehart's company Hancock Prospecting to travel to and from Florida, where they also stayed at Rinehart's $66 million Palm Beach mansion. In December, Ashby told Nine Newspapers that speculation about Rinehart's backing was unfounded, saying, "I haven't seen any money from her."
In February, the Guardian also disclosed that the Queensland senator flew from Melbourne's Essendon airport to Sydney on Rinehart's Gulfstream G700 after an event in October. She additionally billed taxpayers nearly $9,000 for a chartered plane to attend the event, which celebrated Rinehart's donation to the private Marcus Oldham College. A spokesperson for Hanson claimed the cheapest option was chosen as no commercial flights were available between Tamworth and Avalon.
These revelations highlight ongoing concerns about transparency and adherence to parliamentary rules regarding gifts and sponsored travel in Australian politics.
