Newly released financial accounts for One Nation Queensland Division Inc. have shed light on the party’s significant income streams, including substantial revenue from merchandise sales and “candidate fees,” alongside considerable expenditures on legal and consultancy services. The documents, submitted to the Queensland Office of Fair Trading after a last-minute effort to meet reporting deadlines, cover the financial periods from 2021-2022 through 2024-2025.
Significant Revenue from Merchandise and Candidate Fees
Merchandise sales have emerged as a major financial contributor for the political party. Between the 2021-2022 and 2024-2025 financial years, the party reported a total of $2.5 million in merchandise revenue. This income stream saw a dramatic increase, jumping from approximately $167,000 in the 2022-2023 financial year to $871,000 in 2024-2025. The range of items sold online includes everyday products like mousepads and water bottles, alongside more niche items such as bobble-head dolls and novelty baseball caps.
In addition to merchandise, One Nation has generated substantial income through “candidate fees,” collecting $732,000 from political aspirants in the 2024-2025 financial year. Membership fees also contributed significantly, reaching a high of $263,000 in the same period. The party’s total equity was reported at $1.4 million.
Substantial Expenditures on Legal and Consultancy Services
While revenue streams appear robust, the released accounts also detail significant operational costs. Over a four-year span, One Nation Queensland Division Inc. incurred nearly $800,000 in legal fees. Furthermore, the party spent over $1 million on consultancy fees during the same period. These figures highlight substantial investments in professional services and legal representation.
Electoral Funding and Donations
The financial reports indicate that One Nation Queensland Division Inc. operates on a scale that extends beyond state boundaries, evidenced by its electoral funding and donation income. In the 2022-2023 financial year, the entity reported receiving $2.9 million in electoral funding, consistent with payments from the Australian Electoral Commission for that year’s federal election. The Queensland Electoral Commission also provided approximately $250,000 to the party during the same year.
For the 2024-2025 financial year, the entity reported $2.1 million in donation income. Queensland electoral records for the same period show One Nation receiving $145,000.
Corporate Structure and Compliance
One Nation Queensland Division Inc. is distinct from a public company, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Limited, established in 2021. This public company lists Senator Pauline Hanson and party treasurer Alex Jones as directors and holds the lease for the party’s Brisbane headquarters. The party has not provided details regarding the status of this separate public company.
A spokesperson previously stated that One Nation had fulfilled all its obligations with the Queensland Office of Fair Trading. The financial accounts released on Friday include declarations from treasurer Alex Jones, who affirmed that the statements “present fairly the company’s financial position.” Jones has a prior history of an electoral fraud charge, to which he pleaded guilty in 2022 without conviction.
The independent audits for these accounts were conducted by Tony Becis, a chartered accountant based in Brisbane who has frequently worked with the party. The reports, signed on August 18, indicate the party submitted them just before the August 20 deadline, narrowly avoiding potential deregistration by the Queensland Office of Fair Trading, which oversees incorporated associations in the state.
History of Financial Reporting Challenges
The party has a documented history of difficulties in maintaining up-to-date financial records. Previous reports indicated that Senator Hanson had undisclosed shareholdings or directorships in three companies, leading to amendments in her official register of interests. In a separate instance this year, Hanson, acting as the registered party agent in Queensland, was required to amend a financial return for the previous state election after failing to declare $255,000 in spending, which represented nearly half of the party’s total expenditure for that election.
The release of these comprehensive accounts provides a detailed, albeit delayed, overview of One Nation Queensland’s financial operations, highlighting its diverse income streams and significant operational costs.
