One Nation rejects Albanese's offer of extra staffer for MP David Farley; Labor denies trying to lure him

One Nation has rejected an offer from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of an extra staff member for its MP David Farley, with party leader Pauline Hanson saying the offer raised concerns about “undue political influence”, AAP reported on Friday 30 October.

The offer was hand-delivered to Farley’s Parliament House office on Monday, according to AAP. Farley, who won the southern New South Wales seat of Farrer from the Liberals at a by-election in May, had not asked for more staff. The prime minister controls staff allocations to MPs beyond the five each receives by default.

“These actions have left David and One Nation deeply concerned that the government is seeking to use taxpayer funds to exert undue political influence over politicians,” Hanson said in a statement on Thursday.

Labor frontbencher Amanda Rishworth denied the government was trying to persuade Farley to defect. “Pauline is jumping at shadows,” she told Seven’s Sunrise on Friday. Minister Pat Conroy told Nine’s Today show that the allocation “has been offered to most MPs with large electorates — it’s not unusual”. Farley is the only crossbench member without additional staff, AAP reported.

Farley tried to stand as a Labor candidate in 2021 and has not publicly ruled out moving to the party, according to AAP. Earlier in October, Albanese guaranteed 15 extra staff for Greens MPs, days before they voted to block an inquiry into whether he should be responsible for allocating advisers, AAP reported.