One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has taken to social media to brag about massive donations of $2 million and a private plane, as the right-wing party’s meteoric rise in the polls faces its first federal test at the Farrer byelection next week.
In a post to social media platform X on Wednesday morning, Hanson bragged about receiving a Cirrus G7 plane – which regularly sell for over $1.5 million – and thanked former Northern Territory chief minister Adam Giles and climate sceptic professor Ian Plimer for two donations of $500,000. Both Giles and Plimer are employed by billionaire Gina Rinehart.
“BREAKING NEWS – I’ve got a new plane, Sarah. Yes it was donated. Yes I’m super happy. Yes it’s fast. Yes it’s amazing. Yes it’s going to annoy the Guardian. Yes it means I can visit more regional towns across the country more often. Yes it’s a Cirrus G7. Yes it’s sexy. Yes I have a pilot. No I won’t be doing welcome to country each we land. No it’s not battery operated,” Hanson wrote in her post.
“I want to pass on my sincere thanks to everyone who has made a contribution to One Nation over the years. I cannot thank you enough for the hope and encouragement you give me to help turn this country around.”
In the post, Hanson attributed a $1 million donation to Angus and Sarah Aitken, who she described as “two wonderful, patriotic Australians”. Angus Aitken has previously donated $200,000 to right-wing campaign vehicle Advance, and $24,000 to the Liberal Party.
Two further donations, handed in the form of oversize cheques in a social media video attached to the X post, came from Plimer and Giles. Plimer is the executive director of Hancock Energy, and Giles is the head of Hancock Agriculture, both firms owned by Rinehart.
The total donation haul could easily exceed $3.5 million, and would require disclosure by the party at the end of the year.
While details on the model of plane were not made available through the post, information on the Cirrus website suggests the aircraft could travel between 700 and 1000 nautical miles, enough to comfortably travel between Melbourne and Brisbane.
Rinehart has regularly loaned Hanson a plane to travel around the country.
Nick Newling is a federal politics reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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