Pauline Hanson Admits Using Party Funds for London Hotel

Senator Pauline Hanson admitted using One Nation party funds to pay for a five-star hotel in London during a 10-day European fact-finding mission in July. The admission follows initial denials in which Hanson dismissed reports from the Sydney Morning Herald as fake news, claiming Expedia invoices proved the allegations were false.

Hanson stated that Channel Seven originally agreed to fund the travel for a Spotlight episode but later withdrew, forcing the party to cover the costs. Channel Seven denied this, stating they only covered security, filming locations, and incidentals. While Hanson provided partial invoices to news.com.au to deny reports that she left luxury rooms vacant in London while visiting Italy, other reports suggest the rooms remained paid for while she attended a Dolce and Gabbana fashion show.

Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson criticized the spending as a betrayal of party donors who contribute limited savings. In response, Hanson and Senator Sean Bell asserted that funds from the $5 million Fire the Liar campaign were quarantined specifically to fight the Labor government in the next election and were not used for the trip. Parliamentary registers indicate that billionaire Gina Rinehart funded Hanson's flights to Sicily and Rome and her attendance at the fashion event, while Hanson claimed to have personally paid for other daily expenses.