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One Nation accused of 'cash grab' over demand for up to $630,000 from Victorian election candidates

Exclusive: Former councillors and mayors say they were left feeling 'used, lied to, misled and gaslit' after pay-to-play application process

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By LineZotpaper
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Updated
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Sources2 outlets
One Nation could collect as much as $633,000 from people who applied to run in the Victorian state election, with rejected candidates accusing the party of running a 'cash grab' through a 'pay-to-play' application process.

Guardian Australia has spoken to multiple former councillors, mayors and deputy mayors who expressed an interest in running for One Nation in the upcoming Victorian state election, but say they were rejected after paying significant fees. A complaint letter seen by the publication states that many applicants felt 'used, lied to, misled and gaslit' by the process.

The allegations come as the party stands to collect up to $633,000 from those who put their hand up to run. The complainants claim they went through a 'pay-to-play' process, after which they were rejected without further explanation. One Nation has not yet responded to the specific allegations.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Raises questions about the transparency and integrity of candidate selection processes for a major political party
  • Could undermine trust in the democratic process if candidates are effectively paying for a chance to run without genuine consideration
  • The total sum involved ($633,000) is significant and could fuel further scrutiny of political party funding practices

Background

One Nation is an Australian political party founded by Pauline Hanson in the 1990s, known for its populist and nationalist platform. The party has previously faced controversies over its candidate vetting processes. Victoria is due to hold a state election; candidates typically pay nomination fees and party levies, but the size of the sums reportedly demanded in this case is unusual.

Key Perspectives

Applicants and former local government officials: They feel they were misled into paying substantial fees for a genuine chance to be candidates, only to be rejected without clear reasoning. Many say the process felt like a 'cash grab' by the party.

One Nation: The party has not addressed the specific allegations. Typically, parties argue that fees cover administrative and campaign costs, and that candidate vetting is necessary to maintain standards.

Critics/Skeptics: If the allegations are substantiated, it would suggest a system where candidates are effectively buying the possibility of selection, bypassing merit-based processes. This could deter qualified people from standing and erode public confidence in the electoral system.

What to Watch

  • Whether One Nation issues a formal response or explanation for the fees and rejection rates
  • Any investigation by the Victorian Electoral Commission or other regulatory body into the party's candidate selection practices
  • Potential impact on One Nation's chances in the Victorian election if the controversy gains traction

Sources

newspaper

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Articles published under the Zotpaper byline are synthesized from multiple source publications by our AI editor and reviewed by our editorial process. Each story combines reporting from credible outlets to give readers a balanced, comprehensive view.

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