13th November 1999
As members do we have the right to know what is going on in this party? I don't mean on confidential issues I mean on issues which are going to effect all of us in the future?
Yesterday's lead story has not raised a single response from anyone in the party leadership.
So let me offer you just one probable outcome if One Nation loses the appeal on November 23.
The party could be asked to repay nearly $500,000 paid to it by the Queensland Electoral Council after the Queensland State Election - money which it does not have. The money, which will probably have to be found by Pauline personally, will be re-distributed directly to the candidates who stood for the party in the June 1998 elections. Many of these candidates have been paid for their expenses by One Nation but to get the funds back the likelihood is that the party would have to take candidates who refused to repay the money received again as a result of this court decision, individually to court. Imagine the legal expenses!
While the appeal is being heard it is likely Pauline Hanson will be in the US with David Ettridge, according to the Queensland Times.
The Queensland Times reports that when it questioned Pauline about speculation over the trip after being contacted about it by Bob Watson, the campaign manager in the 1998 Federal Election for the seat of Oxley, she replied, "My private business is my private business. If I'm going anywhere please tell them it's got nothing to do with them. For crying out loud, I'm sick of all these people."
Rumours destroy parties and rumours spawn where secrecy hides the truth. Should I just ignore the widespread rumours when they come from concerned, reliable sources or should we all be asking the hard question - Just what is going on and why are there so few answers?