Pauline Hanson Addresses Employment of Convicted Rapist at One Nation
Pauline Hanson has confirmed she has dismissed Sean Black, a convicted rapist who was employed as One Nation’s campaign manager. Hanson accused Coalition MPs of engaging in "gutter politics" by criticizing her decision to rehire Black after his conviction.
Sean Black was convicted in 2018 and, despite the conviction, was initially rehired by One Nation as a campaign director after serving his sentence. He remained with the party until Sunday, according to Hanson.
During a late-night interview on , Hanson stated that "he’s gone, he’s finished" when questioned about Black’s employment status. She expressed being "sickened" by the recent criticism from opposition politicians.
Hanson also mentioned that she had received "no concerns raised by the other female staff" regarding Black and that he had "done a great job" since returning to the party following his incarceration.
"It’s gutter politics … and it sickens me to what has happened," Hanson said.
"[Black] did his time for the crime he was convicted of and that, and now he was trying to get on with his life... What now? What happens? [Put him] on the scrapheap? Or should we bring in the death penalty for anyone who commits a crime?"
Hanson on Public Sex Offender Register Proposal
When asked about whether a convicted sex offender like Black would be included in One Nation’s proposed public sex offender register, Hanson did not provide a definitive answer. She clarified that the policy was primarily aimed at paedophiles and that individuals who have served their sentences are "another matter."
"Society has realised that if you do your time, you give back to society. And there’s … not been any offence committed from this man ever since. When are we actually going to stop hounding them and give them their life back? He’s paid his his dues to society," she said.
Opposition Criticism of One Nation’s Decision
Liberal Senator James Paterson criticized One Nation’s decision to retain a convicted rapist on staff as "absolutely extraordinary," stating it undermines the party’s credibility on issues such as law and order, crime, and domestic violence.
"It means it’s very hard to take One Nation seriously when they talk about law and order, when they talk about being tough on crime, when they talk about domestic violence," he told .
"They have a pretence of being a serious political party, and they are employing a convicted rapist to work for them. I don’t think he should be allowed in Parliament House in sitting weeks, and if he is being brought to Parliament House, they should explain why they think that’s appropriate."
Liberal National MP Garth Hamilton also expressed concern, having written to the House of Representatives speaker to inquire about Black’s presence in the parliamentary building.
"I want to know when there’s a rapist in parliament," Hamilton wrote.
Australia has reached out to One Nation for comment.
One Nation’s Political Position and Challenges
Since the 2025 federal election, One Nation’s rise has positioned it as a potential de facto opposition party in several regions, challenging the Coalition’s support base.
The upcoming election will test whether the right-wing party can capitalize on declining support for major parties, particularly the Coalition.
Paterson noted that the Liberals intend to scrutinize One Nation by highlighting its history of failures, including the number of elected members who have resigned from the party before completing their first term.
"I mean, this is an extraordinary track record of failure by One Nation, and it really calls into question whether or not they could ever govern in the national interest for all Australians," Paterson said.
Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Remarks on Political Opposition
On Sunday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered a speech at a pub event in his electorate, warning that Labor’s opponents constitute a "three-ring circus of rightwing parties" intent on Australia’s failure.
"They’ve made the political calculation that the worse Australians fare, the worse Australia performs, the more divided our politics and societies, the greater dividend for them politically," he said.
"Take One Nation. At every turn and in almost every vote, when they’ve had the choice between voting how communities, like ours, need them to or voting the way Gina Rinehart tells them to, they make the wrong choice.
"Their reason for being is to capitalise on the politics of division. Our reason for being is providing economic security and creating economic opportunity as the best defence against division and polarisation."
