ONE NATION DIVIDED OVER TAX PLAN
PAULINE Hanson’s One Nation is two nations now. The three-person Senate team is split over supporting the Government’s company tax cut plans, with Senator Brian Burston deciding to back them.
Senator Hanson has been accused of making decisions without consulting her party, and leaving long-time supporter Senator Burston in the lurch. But she insisted the party was united, before walking out of a press conference while colleague Peter Georgiou was still talking.
Senator Burston has taken the One Nation branding off his social media accounts, and it’s understood he told staff to advise him only, rather than the party team.
The Government was told about a month ago of his solid support for corporate tax cuts, irrespective of any possible future change of heart by Senator Hanson. The One Nation leader reneged on the handshake deal she struck with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, so Senator Burston decided to go public.
“He’s said he’s not doing a dummy spit, he said he’s not walking away from One Nation,” Senator Hanson said yesterday.