Watchdog clears Pauline Hanson’s use of taxpayer funds to attend Gina Rinehart’s birthday party

Hanson’s office cites meetings with industry representatives and a One Nation party executive who later changed his name to Aussie TrumpGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastParliament’s expenses watchdog has cleared Pauline Hanson over using taxpayer funds to attend Gina Rinehart’s birthday party, after an eight-month investigation in which Hanson explained she had travelled to Perth to meet a new One Nation MP who later changed his name to “Aussie Trump”.Hanson’s office told the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (Ipea) she held meetings with Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting over environmental legislation during the March 2024 trip, as well as attending the same birthday party and celebration which former opposition leader Peter Dutton reportedly visited for just an hour. Continue reading...