Former senior One Nation adviser Charles Swindon, who managed the party’s first lower-house election campaign victory, has broken his silence to allege he was unlawfully sacked when he raised concerns about the party’s ongoing ties to a former staffer jailed for raping and assaulting an ex-partner, and about a senior official’s links to a strip club whose promoter had been accused by police of links to the Comanchero bikie gang.
Charles Swindon, who ran David Farley's successful byelection campaign in the NSW seat of Farrer, made the claims in interviews with The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and 60 Minutes. He said after querying high-ranking party official Kelvin Morton about the handling of former campaign director Sean Black, Morton downplayed Black's rape conviction by jokingly describing it as "surprise sex". Morton strongly denied ever joking about rape, stating, "Rape is a serious crime and not a subject for humour." Morton also acknowledged making inflated claims about his military past and previous political work.
Swindon alleged One Nation buried his concerns about a commercial deal between the party and Black's family firm for fundraising in the Victorian election campaign. Black, on covert recording obtained by the news organisations, claimed he continued to provide consulting and fundraising services after his removal in April and that the Victorian branch had a written contract allowing his company to keep a cut of donations. Black has since denied any ongoing involvement. Party leader Pauline Hanson dismissed the investigation as "absolutely garbage" and denied any arrangement with Black.
Swindon also raised concerns about Victorian secretary Bianca Colecchia, who managed the Dreams strip club for eight years while its key promoter had been accused by police of involvement in serious criminal activity and of having deep links to the Comanchero bikie gang. He said he flagged the matter with Morton before being sacked. Colecchia did not respond to questions. Swindon repeated claims, also heard on Black's recordings, that billionaire Gina Rinehart exerted excessive influence over the party; Rinehart has denied any inappropriate involvement.
The former LNP staffer described his five months inside One Nation as revealing a party that was "weirdly incompetent, chaotic" and "a really shady place". He alleged that during a press club address by Hanson in June, a senior staffer used a racial slur about an Indigenous journalist. Swindon said Farley had privately told him twice he was considering leaving the party due to conflicts with Hanson and chief adviser James Ashby over immigration and abortion policy. Farley described the claims as "nonsense" and said One Nation's migration policy was aligned with his electorate's workforce needs.
One Nation has privately denied Swindon's claim that he was unlawfully dismissed, and he has flagged legal action. The allegations come as the party polls strongly ahead of the Victorian and NSW state elections.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Swindon's allegations follow secret recordings that revealed internal turmoil, adding pressure on One Nation as it campaigns ahead of state elections.
- The party's candidate vetting and campaign financing practices are under scrutiny at a time when it is gaining support.
- A potential lawsuit for unlawful dismissal could force the party to disclose more about its internal dealings.
Background
Earlier this month, the same mastheads and 60 Minutes published covert recordings of former campaign director Sean Black in which he claimed senior party figures were enriching themselves and that Gina Rinehart wielded undue influence. Swindon's account provides further detail on the inner workings of the party and the treatment of staff who raise concerns.
Key Perspectives
Charles Swindon: Says he was sacked after querying the party's ties to Black and the strip club links; alleges Morton joked about rape and that Rinehart dominates strategy.
Kelvin Morton: Denies ever joking about rape; admits to inflating his military and political resume.
Sean Black: Denies any ongoing role with One Nation after April, though covert recordings suggested continued consulting.
Pauline Hanson: Denies the allegations, calling the investigation "absolutely garbage"; denies any arrangement with Black.
David Farley: Dismisses Swindon's claims as "nonsense" and insists the party's migration policy suits his electorate.
Garner Smith: One Nation Victorian candidate, says he would fight to secure migrant workers for regional communities.
What to Watch
- Whether Swindon files an unlawful dismissal lawsuit and what evidence emerges.
- Whether David Farley remains with One Nation or becomes independent, as Swindon claims he considered.
- The impact of the strip club and bikie links on One Nation's performance in the Victorian election this month.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedSwindon alleges One Nation sacked him over concerns about a person with a rape conviction and alleged underworld links.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “A former senior One Nation staffer claims he was unlawfully sacked for raising concerns about the party’s ongoing ties to an ex-senior staff member with a rape conviction and for calling out links between a high-ranking One Nation official and a strip club promoted by a man linked to an underworld figure.”
- SupportedSwindon claims he was unlawfully dismissed after raising concerns about One Nation’s ties to Sean Black and an official’s links to a strip club.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “A former senior One Nation staffer claims he was unlawfully sacked for raising concerns about the party’s ongoing ties to an ex-senior staff member with a rape conviction and for calling out links between a high-ranking One Nation official and a strip club promoted by a man linked to an underworld figure.”
- SupportedSwindon alleges Kelvin Morton joked that Black’s rape conviction was “surprise sex”.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““When the topic came up about three or four times on the phone or at HQ, Kelvin made the joke that: ‘Hey, mate, remember, it’s not rape, it’s surprise sex.’””
- Partly supportedMorton admitted last week to inflated claims about his military past and previous political work.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Morton, who is in charge of vetting candidates and staff for One Nation, had inflated his military career by falsely claiming to have been an army officer. Morton conceded he also made inflated claims about his role working on the 2008 election of a US Democratic politician, Dina Titus.”
- SupportedColecchia managed a strip club whose promoter had been accused by police of being a Comanchero bikie gang financier.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Bianca Colecchia, had spent eight years managing a strip club while its chief promoter had previously been accused by police of being a Comanchero bikie gang financier.”
- SupportedA senior staffer shouted that an Indigenous journalist was a “black c–-t” during Hanson’s press club address in June.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Swindon said that during party leader Pauline Hanson’s press club address in June, a senior staffer watching it inside party HQ with One Nation personnel shouted out that an Indigenous journalist who had quizzed Hanson was a “black c–-t”.”
- SupportedOne Nation has surged in the polls and is favoured to win seats in the upcoming Victorian and NSW state elections.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The allegations concerning Black’s continued involvement in the party and the allegations against One Nation’s senior personnel, which this masthead is not suggesting are proved, come as the party is surging in the polls and favoured to win seats in the looming Victorian and NSW state elections.”
- SupportedSwindon says Gina Rinehart tells Hanson and Ashby what to do and that “We’ll check with Gina” was a common response on strategy or optics.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““Gina Rinehart is on top of both of them [Hanson and her chief adviser James Ashby]. Gina tells both of them what to do, but she’s not actually formally in the party. ‘We’ll check with Gina’, was a common response to questions of strategy or optics,” Swindon claimed in his interview.”
- SupportedSwindon alleges One Nation threatened to recoup campaign support from David Farley if he left the party.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Swindon also alleged that One Nation was so concerned that David Farley – the first candidate to win a federal lower house seat under the party’s banner – would quit One Nation that it threatened to make a claim to recoup the party’s financial campaign support if he ever jumped ship.”
- SupportedSwindon claims Farley told him privately he was considering leaving because of conflict with Hanson and Ashby.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “In his interview, Swindon claimed Farley told him privately he was considering quitting the party because of conflict with Hanson and Ashby.”
- SupportedBlack claimed a deal let his family firm keep a cut of every donation it raised for One Nation’s state election campaign.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “On the recording, Black claimed the deal allowed his firm to keep a cut of every donation it raised for One Nation’s state election campaign.”
- SupportedSwindon believes he was sacked in late June partly because he questioned Morton about the party’s handling of the Black deal.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Swindon said he believed one of the reasons he was sacked was because he had queried Morton, the high-ranking One Nation official, over the party’s handling of the Black deal.”