One Nation Leader Announces $2 Million in Donations and Private Aircraft

"This is a purchase of a political party in Australia and it is done in a way to absolutely dominate and influence a party." — Anthony Whealy, Centre for Public Integrity

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has announced the receipt of a private aircraft and $2 million in cash donations, ahead of the party's upcoming federal election campaign and a by-election in the seat of Farrer.

Donation Details

The aircraft, a Cirrus G7, has an estimated value of between $1.3 million and $1.5 million. Multiple sources report the plane was donated by Hancock Prospecting, a company owned by mining magnate Gina Rinehart. A spokesperson for Senator Hanson confirmed the origin of the plane. Hanson did not initially disclose the donor in her social media announcement but subsequently acknowledged the donation.

In addition to the aircraft, Senator Hanson announced the following cash donations:

• $1 million from stockbroker Angus Aitken and his wife, Sarah Aitken. Angus Aitken has previously donated to the Liberal Party and the conservative lobby group Advance.
• $500,000 from Adam Giles, head of Hancock Agriculture.
• $500,000 from Ian Plimer, executive director of Hancock Energy.

Adam Giles and Ian Plimer are employees of companies owned by Gina Rinehart. Giles also donated a branded utility vehicle to One Nation in April 2026.

Statements from Donors and Senator Hanson

In a social media video, Senator Hanson thanked the donors and stated the aircraft would allow her to visit regional towns more frequently. She expressed satisfaction with the new plane.

"We have a lot of additional fundraising to undertake between now and the cut off in December to combat the uni-party ahead of the 2028 federal election." — Senator Pauline Hanson

Adam Giles was quoted as saying the donation was about "providing the wings for a movement that refuses to let the heart of this country be silenced." Ian Plimer said, "Whenever I think of One Nation, I think of a four-letter word: 'hope'."

Context and Background

The donations and aircraft come ahead of new electoral laws scheduled to take effect in December 2026, which will introduce caps on political donations and require faster disclosure. Currently, there are no caps on party donations, but disclosure is required by the end of each financial year.

The Guardian has previously reported on undeclared flights provided to Senator Hanson by Gina Rinehart. These included trips on Rinehart's private jet, including a journey to Florida for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and events at Mar-a-Lago. These flights were not initially declared in the Senate register of interests, which requires declaration of gifts over $300 within 35 days. Declarations were made after inquiries from The Guardian.

Senator Hanson has denied allegations of wrongdoing regarding the flights, stating her travel costs were not borne by taxpayers.

Rinehart has reportedly hosted fundraising events for One Nation, including an auction for a dinner with Donald Trump. The Australian Electoral Commission is investigating whether the event triggered a donation disclosure requirement. South Australian One Nation leader Cory Bernardi confirmed he would repay flights provided by S. Kidman & Co. during the state election.

Reactions

Treasurer Jim Chalmers commented that One Nation often votes in alignment with Gina Rinehart's interests. Former National Party leader Barnaby Joyce, who defected to One Nation in December 2025, defended the acceptance of the plane, arguing that private donations are not less ethical than using taxpayer-funded travel.

"This is a purchase of a political party in Australia and it is done in a way to absolutely dominate and influence a party." — Anthony Whealy, chair of the Centre for Public Integrity