Election a ‘cash cow’

PAULINE Hanson’s chief-ofstaff James Ashby suggested an apparent plan to turn the looming Queensland election into a cash cow for the party by duping candidates and the state’s Electoral Commission, an explosive recording reveals.

The recording reveals a conversation understood to have taken place late last year during a meeting at which Senator Hanson was also present.

Mr Ashby tells the meeting how he thinks they could make money out of the state election by selling campaign items to candidates at inflated prices.

“There is an opportunity for us to make some money on this if we play this smart,” Mr Ashby tells the meeting. “I will deny I ever said this but what stops us from getting a middle man or gracing … I am happy to grace in cash, double the price of whatever it is.

“We say to the candidates we will fund 50 per cent of this package. So the package might be $5000. You’re going to pay $2500 and we’ll pay the other $2500 of the $5000. The other $2500 is the profit. It’s the fat ...”

Mr Ashby is then asked: “where are we making money”.

He responds: “Because when you lodge the receipt at the full price with the Electoral Commission ... you get back the full amount that’s been issued to you as an invoice.”

At no point during the meeting does anyone agree to enact the plan. Mr Ashby yesterday denied any suggestion he was putting forward such a plan.