Pauline Hanson has formally disclosed that billionaire Gina Rinehart funded several elements of her controversial European trip, ending days of speculation after the pair were photographed together at a luxury Sicilian hotel.
The One Nation leader’s summer visit drew fierce attention in Australia after she spoke at a conservative conference, appeared on a podcast with far-right figure and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson, and turned up at a Dolce & Gabbana fashion parade. Questions about who was paying for the trip intensified when images emerged of Hanson and Rinehart beside the pool at the Sicilian hotel made famous by The White Lotus.
When asked earlier about the support she had received, Hanson said only that she was “grateful for the support from Mrs Rinehart”, adding that any gifts would be listed on her register of senators’ interests. On Tuesday, that declaration showed Rinehart paid for Hanson’s travel between London, Rome and Sicily, along with tickets to the “Dolce & Gabanna” (sic) show on July 13 and 14.
Hanson maintained that her accommodation, meals and day-to-day costs were paid personally. If she stayed at the five-star Grand Hotel San Pietro, that would mean she covered a room rate starting at €850 ($1386) this summer. The alternative is that she did not stay overnight and was only there to visit Rinehart.
Earlier this month, during her first public appearance in Australia since returning from Europe, Hanson said, “It didn’t cost the taxpayer one cent for my trip overseas. Not one cent.”
She has also said all support received from Rinehart has been properly declared, including a $2 million light plane and $2 million in cash earlier this year. Defending that backing last week, Hanson said, “She’s a very proud, patriotic Australian, and she sees the same in me. That’s why she backs me.”
“And I did get the plane from her. I declared that. I was right there in front of it.
“Everything’s declared, and I really appreciate all that.
“And I’m not going to apologise for that because for years, the major political parties have been getting millions and millions and millions out all these other organisations, corporations, banks, you name it, and the billionaires. But I don’t see the scrutiny on them.”
Rinehart has separately loaned Hanson her plane five times since December 16, covering four interstate trips and one overseas visit to Florida.
Hanson has not said whether any part of the Europe trip was funded from the $5 million she raised in an anti-Anthony Albanese campaign.
The trip itself became politically explosive for reasons beyond funding. Hanson described it as a “fact-finding mission”, but one leg of it took her to Luton in England with Robinson, where they confronted migrant locals over how they had come to the country. She was then heavily criticised over comments made in an interview with Robinson, in which she appeared to suggest Australia’s migration problems began when the White Australia policy was repealed in the 1960s.
Since then, Hanson and her supporters, including One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce and daughter Lee Hanson, have argued that she does not support the White Australia policy, which was designed to restrict non-British migration to Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned Hanson’s behaviour earlier this month, saying it was inappropriate for her to go overseas, associate with fringe figures and talk down Australia. Hanson responded on Monday by accusing him of hypocrisy after he defended attending a dinner hosted by the 25-year-old son of a billionaire accused of funnelling money from China.
“The prime minister hits Australians with some of the highest taxes in the world, then dines with the family of a man the tax office reportedly chased for a quarter of a billion in unpaid tax,” she said.
“If Labor didn’t have double standards, they wouldn’t have any.”
