Jennifer Game considered herself a "true believer" in One Nation.
asserted
herself → consider → Nation
"They use people," she said.
asserted
she → use → people
They've got no checks and balances on them."
asserted
They → get → them
But after having a front row seat to its operations, Ms Game said she would not vote for One Nation at the next election.
asserted
she → have → election
"It's not a party, in truth," she said.
asserted
she → say → truth
Once a fringe political party, Pauline Hanson's One Nation has emerged as a third force in Australian politics, appealing to voters fed up with the two major parties.
asserted
Nation → emerge → parties
Its popularity, evidenced by six months of strong polling, threatens the Coalition's hold on regional Australia and has given Pauline Hanson unprecedented influence over the national debate.
Ms Game said at first she was impressed by Senator Hanson's work ethic and direct communication style.
asserted
she → evidence → ethic
"She was, in the beginning, very hard-working and very straightforward," she said.
asserted
she → work → beginning
But over time, Ms Game said she saw a different side of Senator Hanson.
asserted
she → say → Hanson
Ms Game said the growing influence of Senator Hanson's then chief of staff, James Ashby, undermined her authority.
asserted
influence → say → authority
"She had become a weak character," she said.
asserted
she → become → ?
"She was dominated by her [then] chief of staff, James Ashby, and … she was just unable to break free of that.
asserted
she → dominate → that
"She became highly dependent on him.
asserted
She → become → him
He was running everything."
asserted
He → run → everything
Ms Game ran as a One Nation Senate candidate at last year's federal election.
asserted
Game → run → election
When she failed to win a seat, she received a text from Mr Ashby criticising her ability to sell One Nation's "message", followed by what she described as an angry phone call from Senator Hanson.
asserted
she → fail → Hanson
"She used a voice that I've not heard before," Ms Game said.
"
asserted
Game → use → that
The first thing she said to me was, 'What happened to your personal vote?'
asserted
What → say → vote
"I think she thought I was going to easily get in, and that I'd done something, that it was my fault.
"
asserted
it → think → something
She demands enormous loyalty from people, but she doesn't give it."
asserted
she → demand → it
After Ms Game quit the party, One Nation failed to repay her $2,000 nomination deposit, and more than $14,000 in claimable expenses from last year's election.
asserted
Nation → quit → election
Eventually, her deposit was returned after a debt recovery process.
asserted
deposit → return → process
In June, a magistrate ordered One Nation to pay her more than $14,000 in electoral expenses.
asserted
magistrate → order → expenses
"[For them] not to pay me the money I was entitled to, when I'd spent it and they'd been reimbursed for it, that crossed a line for me," Ms Game said.
asserted
Game → pay → me
One Nation's influence faces test in Victoria
asserted
influence → face → Victoria
One Nation's rise has this year delivered a by-election victory in the federal seat of Farrer, as well as four lower house and three upper house seats in South Australia's state parliament and a by-election victory in Western Australia.
asserted
rise → deliver → Australia
Attention is now turning to Victoria.
asserted
Attention → turn → Victoria
Experienced political candidates who wanted to run for One Nation in the upcoming Victorian state election have told Four Corners the party's preselection process was slow, chaotic, not merit-based and a money-making exercise for the party.
asserted
process → want → party
Six would-be candidates, including former mayors, local councillors and one ex-MP, say they witnessed a shambolic process that could undermine the party's chances of success in the November 28 poll.
"[It was] very sloppy, ad hoc, probably pre-determined and dishonest," former Liberal National MP Aidan McLindon told Four Corners.
uncertain
McLindon → include → Corners
Mr McLindon defeated Pauline Hanson in the Queensland state seat of Beaudesert in 2009.
asserted
McLindon → defeat → 2009
He said he was approached to be part of One Nation's leadership team in Victoria.
asserted
he → say → Victoria
After a disagreement with Warren Pickering, who eventually became state leader, Mr McLindon said his application was rejected.
asserted
application → become → Pickering
He resigned from the party soon after.
asserted
He → resign → party
"Victoria's been largely neglected and for One Nation to treat a lot of the candidate applications with the contempt that it did, we don't deserve that," he said.
asserted
he → neglect → that
One Nation said it received 1,200 applications to run for office.
asserted
it → say → office
Each would-be candidate was charged $150 to apply, and another $5,500 if they were chosen to run.
asserted
they → charge → 150
Mr McLindon said candidates were not told they would be hit with the additional $5,500 fee until the end of the interview process.
asserted
they → say → process
"What we're seeing here is a bit of an insidious money grab,"he said.
asserted
seeing → see → grab,"he
'Oh by the way, we've got all your hopes up, but before you sign the dotted line, here's a $5,500 [fee]'.
asserted
fee → get → line
"
The fees add up to around $700,000 from the preselection process for the lower house alone, something Mr McLindon believes is exploitative during a cost-of-living crisis.
asserted
McLindon → add → crisis
…and 41 more, not listed.
The Aporia
