‘They haven’t seen anything yet’: Hastie says war on One Nation is just beginning

Andrew Hastie has warned Barnaby Joyce that his assault on One Nation was just beginning, adding that he pitied the former deputy prime minister for having to clean up after party leader Pauline Hanson.

The Liberal frontbencher launched a scathing attack on Hanson last week after being labelled a traitor in her cartoon, Please Explain, for his testimony in accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation action against this masthead. Hastie branded Hanson a “lying coward” after she denied using the term.

Hanson dug in and insisted it was just satire, splitting with her star recruit Joyce, who apologised to Hastie. The “slur” attracted criticism from MPs across the political spectrum, as well as the RSL. One Nation’s own WA leader distanced himself from the accusation.

Hanson refused to scrub the cartoon from her social media, but quietly unpinned it from the top of her X feed over the weekend.

Hastie, who is fighting to keep his seat at the next election and has had to ramp up his personal security following threats from supporters of Roberts-Smith, said on Sunday that his attack on One Nation was not over.

“As I said to Barnaby in text, I will continue. Consider last week a demonstration. They haven’t seen anything yet. I’ll go all the way with One Nation if they want,” Hastie told News24. “Weakness is provocative … these guys thought I was weak.”

Hastie suggested Joyce and One Nation’s latest federal recruit, Farrer MP David Farley, had buyer’s remorse.

“I’ll say this about Barnaby Joyce. I feel sorry for the bloke,” he said. “He left a party that made him deputy prime minister twice to jump in with this rabble. There’s no principles; they’re all over the shop, and he’s out there every week cleaning up after them.”

Hastie accused Hanson of politicising the Roberts-Smith case, but said public pressure would not sway him from his convictions.

He said that while doorknocking in his electorate, angry constituents had said they were OK with murder in war, with one person telling him they were OK with rape in war.

“I’ve got to tell you, I’m not happy with that at all,” Hastie said.

Hastie, whose staunch anti-abortion views have been criticised by the left, said he had been counselled by “eminent Australians” and “former Labor ministers outside the Parliament” for asking in October last year if mothers who had late-term abortions would be entitled to paid parental leave.

“I don’t regret them [the comments], but I’m constantly learning in this game about how to better advocate in such a way that is …sensitive to others,” he said. “But my fundamental position on the issue of abortion is unchanged. I’m pro-life, and I’m not going to suddenly back down to win political points from people.”

Hastie dismissed Hanson’s accusation that he was fighting her to bolster his leadership prospects as “ridiculous”.

“Angus Taylor is the leader. I’ve supported him. Judge me by my actions, and I’ve shown loyalty to Angus since he became leader.”

He said the Coalition could not afford to be divided, but conceded all MPs fancied themselves as a potential leader. “I reckon every single person in the parliament has a baton in their knapsack. Some have it buried beneath their lunchbox. Some have it closer to the top.”

He said his baton was “somewhere in there”.

Hastie also took aim at Hanson for attacking the prime minister’s late mother – a disability pensioner – for living in public housing for much of her life.

“I don’t think you should be talking about the late mother of anyone in this game, and certainly not reflecting on circumstances over which she had no understanding,” Hastie said.

“I remember in the schoolyard, if anyone said anything about your mum, mate, it was on. So let’s leave mums out of it.”

Hanson told The Karl Stefanovic Show earlier this year that Albanese’s references to his upbringing in public housing were “pathetic”, and said Australians should not live in housing commission homes for decades.

“Sorry, that is not on to me. It should be limited time. You have been given a hand up, move it on to the next ones coming through,” she said.

Special Minister of State Don Farrell said he had met with Hanson this week and spent an hour discussing her concerns, but that the “appalling” comments about Albanese’s mother – who died more than 20 years ago – did the minor party leader no favours.

“She wants dignity and respect from her fellow parliamentarians. Attacking the prime minister’s mother like this is not a way to get respect and dignity from your colleagues,” Farrell told News24.

Farrell, who would not say whether his conversation included potentially allocating more staff to the minor party as its ranks grow, called for Hanson to withdraw the remark.

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