Sydney: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has belatedly declared $30,375 (Dh111,552) for the use of James Ashby’s plane, which is at the centre of an ongoing Australian Electoral Commission investigation.
In an amendment to the party’s 2015-16 financial disclosures lodged on 15 March, the party declares 243 hours flying time in the plane at $125 an hour.
When Hanson first used the plane while campaigning in 2015 she described it as her own but the Jabiru single-engine aircraft is registered and insured in the name of her adviser, James Ashby, who claims it is his.
In April 2017, on the ABC’s Four Corners programme, the Victorian property developer Bill McNee denied funding the purchase of the plane , saying he had not funded the party beyond what was publicly disclosed.
In response to the programme, Ashby said the hours flown for party business on his aircraft had been declared in accordance with the AEC rules.
In May, AEC officials told Senate estimates the provenance of the plane and whether it was properly declared was under investigation. In the hearing Hanson suggested One Nation had written to the AEC in January 2017 seeking advice about how to disclose use of the plane and had submitted logbooks “because it is so unusual for a plane to be used for electoral campaigning”.
On 15 March the party submitted an updated disclosure , subtracting $38,989 from the “gifts-in-kind” category and adding $30,375 to the “total receipts” section, which includes both donations and other receipts.
The amended total for gifts-in-kind is $30,375, which is described in a footnote as: “James Ashby Jabaru Single Engine Light Aircraft Through enquiry - price for dry hire rate @$125.00/hr 243 hrs @ $125.00 per hour = $30,375.00.”
The price of $125 is consistent with commercial quotes for one hour of private hire of a Jabiru J160.
An AEC spokesman said: “The AEC is still actively investigating disclosure matters related to the plane.
“In line with standard practice, the AEC makes no comment regarding matters currently under investigation.”
Under electoral laws, amendments to returns can be lodged at any time.
During the trade union royal commission Bill Shorten was forced to defend $75,000 in donations belatedly declared in 2015 relating to his 2007 campaign to enter federal parliament.
