Hanson accuses Albanese of offering One Nation MP extra staff funding
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson of trying to influence her party by offering MP David Farley funding for an additional staff member. Farley declined the offer, which Hanson says raises concerns about how the government allocates taxpayer-funded parliamentary resources.
The package was worth $200,000 for a staff salary. Hanson has sought minor party status for One Nation, which she says would increase its staffing allocation from four to nine, but claims Albanese has not formally responded. Farley, elected in a May by-election, is the only crossbench MP without extra staff; the dispute follows Albanese’s approval of 15 staffers for the Greens.
In short
- David Farley declined a $200,000 staff offer.
- Pauline Hanson says the allocation risks political influence.
- One Nation is seeking minor party staffing status.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Hanson’s concern is that offering one One Nation MP extra taxpayer-funded staff support while leaving her broader request for minor party status unanswered could look like an attempt to influence the party or manage the crossbench selectively. With the Greens receiving additional staff, she can argue that comparable parliamentary support should be allocated by clear, consistent rules rather than individual offers.
The case against
The government could argue that an additional staff position for Farley addresses a practical workload disparity: as the only crossbench MP without extra staff, he may need support to serve constituents and scrutinise legislation. An individual allocation need not be an inducement, and the broader request to raise One Nation’s staffing allocation from four to nine can be considered separately under established parliamentary arrangements.
Explained simply
Anthony Albanese is Australia’s prime minister and leads the Labor government. Pauline Hanson leads One Nation, a minor party whose MPs sit outside government and the main opposition. David Farley entered parliament after a by-election and is One Nation’s only MP in the lower house.
Australian MPs receive publicly funded staff to help with constituency work, policy and parliamentary duties. The number of staff can depend on a party’s status and parliamentary arrangements, so changes to those allocations can affect how MPs do their work. The dispute has drawn attention to how those resources are decided for minor parties and independent MPs.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Anthony Albanese accused of trying to ‘influence’ One Nation MP with $200,000 staffer appointment”.