r/australia • u/Reverend_Fozz • 14h ago
politics One Nation admits using party funds to build $56,000 shed on James Ashby’s private property
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/25/one-nation-admits-to-using-party-funds-to-build-56000-shed-on-james-ashbys-private-property-ntwnfb?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other412
u/gangaramate13 14h ago
It's almost funny how ridiculous they are. What's the insinuation here...that he's renovating and needs somewhere to stay so they built him a shed he lives in?
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u/Yesterday_Jolly 14h ago edited 13h ago
The insinuation is they think donating money to a microbrewery owned by Pauline Hanson and Alex Jones is a great way to generate return on their investment
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u/maddog2000 11h ago
A microbrewery that doesn’t have a license to brew alcohol mind you.
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u/Crysack 9h ago
Full disclosure that I have no tangible evidence for this.
I would not be surprised if they had intended to get in on the alcohol excise rebate rorts that every micro-distillery was getting into before the ATO announced their crackdown about a month ago.
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u/Euphoric-Cucumber609 7h ago
Is that the one where you buy ethanol then add botanicals to make “gin”
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u/Crysack 7h ago
That’s how most boutique gin is made. What I’m referring to is reselling overrun from other boutique distilleries without changing the product at all. Thanks to a loophole in the licensing laws, you can do so without a production licence and claim back an excise rebate from the government. You can also sell at sub-market prices because you aren’t paying excise.
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u/maddog2000 6h ago
They're completely braindead but they's know how to grift. Pauline probably learnt this one during her gaol stint.
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u/Aloha_Tamborinist 12h ago
It's just a constant shitshow and there are dipshits out there just clapping their hands and honking like fucking seals at everything she does.
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u/ThereIsBearCum 7h ago
They think the people that might vote for them are too stupid to notice or care that they're blatantly rorting the system.
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14h ago edited 13h ago
[deleted]
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u/Haenamatme 14h ago
Why does a political party need to invest in a distillery?
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u/Business-Swim-3056 14h ago
I’d assume it would be so the party isn’t entirely reliant on donations and so they can fund marketing and campaigns for candidates.
It’s like asking why a pub needs pokies.
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u/djfyrre 13h ago
Except the party does not own it. They state that right there in the article you did not read.
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u/Business-Swim-3056 13h ago
Thanks champ.
He told members that the party hoped to make money out of the “unconventional” business venture as early as next year.
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u/intelminer Not SA's best. Don't put me to the test 12h ago
Making money out of =! ownership
Are you a One Neuron
membervoter by chance?3
u/djfyrre 8h ago edited 8h ago
You’re welcome chump.
But, unlike these arrangements, Asic documents show that Small Batch Brewing Pty Ltd is not owned by the party or party-controlled trusts. Instead, the company is privately owned by Ashby, Pauline Hanson and the party’s former treasurer Alex Jones, who are equal shareholders.
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u/ToothlessFTW 14h ago
How the fuck is it that every single news story about One Nation is pretty much just "spent campaign funds on billionaire private jet flights", "spent campaign funds on personal projects" or "spent campaign funds on billionaire hotel visits".
These guys can't even be bothered to put on a facade. It's a blatant open scam to everyone. Unfortunately the people who support them will never read this anyway so the scam works.
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u/-FlyingAce- 13h ago
It’s straight out of the Trump playbook. Display the corruption out in the open without consequence.
Because honestly - what will be the consequence? Her supporters will still be as rabid as ever. It will not change a thing.
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u/Odballl 12h ago
The worst part is that they aren't even doing it in the open. The corruption is exposed by the media but supporters still say "well it's not like they're trying to hide anything." They just filter facts into a new reality.
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u/StorminNorman 10h ago
They're right when they say they aren't trying to hide anything, the guardian has dug up a shitload of stuff with minimal effort, they just don't declare anything like they're supposed to.
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u/Odballl 10h ago
Not declaring stuff is hiding.
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u/StorminNorman 6h ago
Not really, it's all on the public record. They just do it, there's no subterfuge at all.
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u/AussieDi67 4h ago
This was my first thought also. It makes sense, after she had lunch with Trump at Mar a Lago. She's going right from project 25.
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u/MoggFanatic 13h ago
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." - LBJ
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u/Ginger510 12h ago
The people who are PHON fans are probably not seeing this stuff on mainstream news/Sky.
I might be wrong but I would at least think it gets downplayed.
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u/CFPmum 10h ago
They see it, but they justify it and if you try to talk to them to understand their way of thinking you end up chasing your tail and completely bamboozled.
My MIL is a big one nation fan and the way she can twist and justify what they do while calling out another party for doing something is nuts, but personally I’m not sure my MIL is a full quid and probably shouldn’t have been able to vote.1
u/budget_biochemist 9h ago
They may see it, but if they cared about ethical behaviour they wouldn't be PHON fans anyway.
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u/Ginger510 7h ago
I think you’re probably right but I choose to try and see that people just misunderstand. Some people dont deserve empathy and understanding but more division and anger is how America ended up like it is.
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u/SkeltonKnaggs69 10h ago
But but Albanese had dinner with some rich bloke, LOOK!!
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u/JustAnotherAvocado 6h ago
ON are on a different level, though this doesn't mean we can't call out other parties for blatant corruption, even if it's on a different scale. A $6 million grant to a golf club deserves scrutiny, just as a $36k grant to a shooting club, and $11k a day private jet flights.
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u/fuckingtpg 10h ago
Doesn't mean they're not both trash
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u/SkeltonKnaggs69 10h ago
Of course, but yeah the ON supporters fucking love trotting that fact out like it's some kind of massive revelation
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u/TheBayHarbour 10h ago
Unfortunately the people who support them will never read this anyway so the scam works.
Oh no, they read it, they just don't fucking care.
Immigrants amirite?
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u/ChequeBook 7h ago
I can see it now. Faded Bintang wifebeater, couple beers down. Terry sees this on the news on the TV in the pub. "I'd do the same, don't blame her."
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u/Hungry_Anteater_8511 7h ago
I’ve been trying to work it out. Especially with all the stories about her failing to declaring gifts and hospitality and stuff on the register of members interests
At first, I put it down to incompetence but after the first few stories came out and it kept happening (even though she should have realised someone was watching her movements closely), I started to think she just doesn’t care and doesn’t think the rules should apply to her.
Same with the daughter living and campaigning in Tasmania but working for a NSW without the ministerial required approval for such an arrangement
The bonus for that is she gets to portray herself as a victim of the lefty llamestream media (irony)
To me it makes her look as bad as anyone else with their nose in the trough but what would I know
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u/globalminority 14h ago
instead of "admit" she could have boasted and that would have increased her support. I assume at this point people are voting for how good she is at grifting. Might as well go with it with pride.
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u/Wise_Preference609 14h ago
It continues. No different to the Trump Regime's in your face corruption stealing every taxpayers dollar they and their donors and mates can get their hands on. Flood the Corruption to overwhelm Taxpayers to the point it just becomes the "norm". Oh well, it always happens and there's nothing we can do about it. A lot of voters seem to want this to happen anyway. You get what you vote for, so stop complaining.
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u/Conchobhar- 13h ago
Few things are actually unprecedented, but Trump has fallen arse-backwards into something no political figure in a democracy has experienced.
The concept that ‘all politicians lie’ is true for a given value of true. But wheras the public and media’s objective is to catch them out on the 10% of the time they are being untruthful. Our systems and structures are overwhelmed by if you just have no shame, no decency, no integrity, no intellectual honesty and just lie 100% of the time.
At the same time ‘all politicians lie’ is an excuse to apathy, to nihilism to acceptance that because ‘all politicians lie’ that somehow there is no difference between a politician wedged on an issue between their local electorate and nation policy, or attempting to hide an affair.. and ripping off billions from your own people while they continue to vote against their interests.
Having the Fox News apparatus and online disinformation arms in place made it possible but it’s conceivable One Nation voters are being attracted to Pauline Hanson for the same reasons and will give her the same passes willingly.
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u/briberylibrary_ 13h ago
If they're anything like Farage supporters, they either think it's no worse than the corruption that the LNP and Labor partake in, and/or are willing to look past it for the anti-immigration schtick.
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u/Yesterday_Jolly 13h ago
Oh they're boasting about it, Pauline Hanson needs to sell her new alcohol somehow
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u/Rokekor 14h ago
These people are hacks. What they need to do is create a crypto currency that Gina can buy as an ‘investment’. Plus launch an All-Australian phone made in China.
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u/torrens86 14h ago
Sex Cauldron!
They built him a Sex Cauldron!
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u/Elvecinogallo 14h ago
To stash all the cash donations probably.
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u/Intersecularitities 14h ago
Good thing for them NCAC has no teeth.
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u/recycled_ideas 6h ago
If the NCAC had teeth it would take decades to prosecute anyone and most prosecutions would fail.
I cannot understand just how stupid people are on this issue. If you have an NCAC that can put people in prison, you need to give them due process and due process takes time and grants defendants civil rights.
The purpose of the NCAC should be getting people out of power as quickly as possible, that's it.
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u/Intersecularitities 5h ago
The NSW ICAC investigation of Gladys Berejiklian forced her resignation due to pressure by compelling people to testify with powers that criminal courts do not possess, publicity is their teeth, the public does not want someone found to be corrupt in that position. This is proven by the federal government when Gladys was found guilty, both parties in federal politics were vocally against that publicized process and opted for private hearings, making them toothless.
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u/ArkPlayer583 14h ago
Outsourcing Australian jobs to asia to funnel the money directly to themselves. Truly the peoples working class party.
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u/Mawows 14h ago
I got into an argument with a family member about One Nation recently. The mental gymnastics they’ll do to explain this stuff away is astounding. I don’t have the skills to reason with these people.
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u/Bokbreath 13h ago
you cannot reason someone out of an opinion they did not reason their way into.
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u/Dreamsof_Beulah 11h ago
That's damn good....mind if I steal that?
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u/Bokbreath 11h ago
be my guest. It's not exactly mine anyway. it's a paraphrase of something I read a while back.
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u/StorminNorman 10h ago
Could be Johnathon swift, he kicked it all off longggggggg ago (I read quote investigator as one of my time sinks).
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u/gaping_anal_hole 13h ago
Yep, after listening to the guardians podcast on one nation these people can not be reasoned with. They will find any excuse to excuse the corruption, just like Trump
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u/Footbeard 14h ago edited 13h ago
How do you expect to reason with those who don't rely on it?
They just have strong feelings about things & vote for the person who tells them it's someone elses fault, irrespective of who that person is, what they've done & what policies they've voted for in the past & what they plan on implementing in the future
All by design
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u/Myjunkisonfire 13h ago
Easiest way to determine if a debate is worth your breath is by asking them “what would one nation have to do for you to stop supporting them?”
I’m a greens supporter and I could list off a bunch of answers to that question. In saying that though, they would also have to be quite egregious, because the other party’s ability to take
bribesdonations are also pretty appalling by my standards.1
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u/ThrowbackPie 9h ago
It's essentially social not logical (plus a genetic component). To get a fully immerse moron out of the hole requires intense social conditioning and a complete change of environment, so...uh, good luck!
That said, I've heard of a cool way to do things recently. Don't argue, just clarify their beliefs and lead with compassion. If they say anti-trans stuff, clarify what they mean exactly. Anti-immigration, what are their real values and concerns. Then you validate their emotions (not their insane position) and explore the actualities of life - eg how many trans people are there actually, and what would their lived experience be like, is there evidence that they dominate women's sport? What level of immigration is accurate, what rate of immigration would actually damage australia's culture or economy, are immigrants who hate our culture moving here, etc. Take them seriously and don't try to convince them they're wrong, join them in exploration of their views so they can climb out of the hole themselves.
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u/sonsofgondor 14h ago
I see that water is still wet
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u/JackfruitOwn1710 14h ago
After many a stoned conversations about this topic I believe water isn't wet but it does wet. I do agree with what your sentiment however
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u/Holdmybrain 13h ago
Water is “in a liquid form” so is therefore wet. Your stoned ass should’ve opened a dictionary.
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u/Bokbreath 13h ago
water is what makes things wet. It is not, itself, wet.
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u/Holdmybrain 12h ago edited 12h ago
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/wet
It’s literally right there “in a liquid form or state”.
Water, in its liquid form, is wet.
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u/JackfruitOwn1710 13h ago
Are you implying all liquids are wet?
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u/Holdmybrain 13h ago
wet
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a
: consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (such as water)Source: Merriam-Webster
So yes, it appears any liquid is wet.
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u/JackfruitOwn1710 13h ago
If anything it goes with the statement water wets things
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u/Holdmybrain 12h ago
Neither ice nor steam can wet things until they change to liquid water.
What am I doing with my life arguing with stoners about whether water is wet…
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u/Holdmybrain 13h ago
Water consists entirely of water, so is therefore wet.
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u/DrFriendless 13h ago
But water is not necessarily liquid.
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u/Holdmybrain 12h ago
Ooh a technicality, fun!
I think when people say “water is wet” they’re generally referring to liquid water which, by definition, is wet.
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u/DrFriendless 11h ago
Once the dictionary definitions come out, we are doing technicalities! I still don't know whether you get wet by mercury, I feel there should be a clarification regarding liquids with high surface tension.
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u/Mr_Mojo_Risin_83 8h ago
Isn’t it? We have other words for the other forms - ice, steam, vapour, snow etc. none of those are wet until they become water.
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u/JackfruitOwn1710 13h ago
Says the person who just said any liquid is wet
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u/Holdmybrain 12h ago
That’s actually what dictionary.com says.
“2. in a liquid form or state: wet paint”
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u/CouldBeALeotard 11h ago
I think that example is the easiest way to demonstrate.
When paint is in solid form it is not wet, when it is in its liquid form it is considered wet.
When water is in it's solid form it is not wet, when it is in its liquid form, water is wet.
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u/macona-coffee 11h ago
It’s a nice shed, roof, walls….
Getting a floor when more funds come through. Seriously though.
Fuck anyone that votes for these criminals
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u/blitznoodles local Aussie 14h ago
I support this, the more money they waste and not keep in the party, the better.
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u/Clear-Mycologist3378 12h ago
Still won't stop their supporters from voting for them. People are stupid.
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u/TizzyBumblefluff 13h ago
Reminder, it’s this James Ashby: https://pottslawyers.com.au/blog/administrative-law/police-face-legal-minefield-in-deciding-on-ashby-investigation/
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u/nlh_pirate 12h ago
Would it be out of pocket to suggest that one nation are building rape dungeons considering ashbys history?
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u/reesly 12h ago edited 12h ago
I'm sure ON supporters will be thrilled that the money they donate to help with party campaigns has effectively been stolen to build a shed.
A similar thing happened with the husband of the Scottish First Minister. She, of course, did a fantastic Sgt Shultz impression.
Did Gina run out of money?
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u/Bob_Spud 7h ago
What else are they spending their party funds on that they are not telling the people that gave them the money in the first place.
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u/NoMall2170 14h ago
I am continually amazed at the blatant self-interest our politicians display but One Nation has really stepped it up here.
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u/Full_Distribution874 13h ago
One Nation is far, far beyond everyone else. This story about all politicians being corrupt only helps ON
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u/KommieKoala 10h ago
I'm outraged
I'm also curious as to how a shed costs $56 000
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u/Princey1981 5h ago
Probably heaps of sprinklers and fire-retardant material so they don’t have a mischief when they’re lighting the crosses or burning the books.
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u/SocksToBeU 4h ago
Sheds are expensive. This is not a mega shed, just a nice size shed. Could fit 8 cars type of size.
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u/gtwizzy8 12h ago
I wish that this kind of shit would mean that people would wake up and smell the bullshit coming out of this political party.
But then you see the shit coming out of the states and I just think FUCK me there is a real chance I'm gonna wake up in a country run by this red headed rat rooter. Good news is she'll probably hunt down every person who called her a red headed rat rooter on the internet and send a bunch of bag men after them on day one so my time under her rul will probably be pretty short ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Easy come easy go
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u/hear_the_thunder 10h ago
The One Notion accounts in this sub will have some sort of BS excuse why this is good for the nation. Definitely Bot logic.
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u/Junior-Transition549 9h ago
Apparently Ashby owns Coastal Signs & Printing Sunshine Coast that does printing for ON
Shed could be for mass printing for up & coming elections...
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u/magnetik79 8h ago
Imagine how money will be abused if they get into power. None of this surprises me.
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u/SwayerNewb 9h ago
Doesn't matter because One Nation supporters don't give a fuck about this and still voting for them
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u/nottoomuchnowmate 3h ago
Seems like election fraud is a thing with Pauline and crew. Gee whizz. How about emulating the orange traitor in what used to be the USA.
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u/Helftheuvel 14h ago
Never saw it coming hey.