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One Nation plane saga heads to prosecutor

After many twists and turns in the One Nation aircraft saga, it has now landed in the lap of the commonwealth prosecutor.

3 min read

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Source: AAP


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2015

April 11 - Victorian businessman and One Nation backer Bill McNee reportedly tells Pauline Hanson "We'll have to get you a plane," after James Ashby reveals he is a pilot and the party should be flying Hanson to events.

April 13 - McNee's Vicland company gives $30,000 to One Nation.

May 13 - McNee sends an email to Hanson and Ashby: "James, we will sort out the plane tomorrow..." Funds are transferred to Ashby, according to former party treasurer Ian Nelson.

June 5 - Jabiru 230-D aircraft acquired and registered by Ashby from Jabiru Aircraft in Bundaberg.

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June 29 - McNee gives One Nation $27,720, which pays for a year's rent on the party's Brisbane office.

July 16 - The Jabiru has its maiden flight from Caloundra airport.

July 17 - Hanson and Ashby fly to Rockhampton for a Reclaim Australia rally.

July-Dec - Electoral Commission of Queensland returns show $10,000 donation from Vicland. Plus four payments totalling $9533 from One Nation to Ashby's company Coastal Signs and Printing.

2016

January - Hanson tells Sky News: "I've still got my plane, well the party's plane, but all the trips I've done in that since the election I've filled it up myself."

July - Hanson and three other One Nation candidates elected to the Senate, with Ashby as her chief of staff.

September - One Nation tells ECQ that in Jan-June 2016 the party paid $1187 to Jabiru Aircraft in Bundaberg for servicing aircraft. No mention of other spending on aircraft.

2017

March-April - Media reports around Jabiru plane and questions about disclosure.

May - Australian Electoral Commission launches a "compliance review" of One Nation's financial disclosures. Australian Federal Police say they are evaluating allegations against party.

August - AFP finds no breaches of commonwealth law.

2018

March - Ashby investigated for allegedly flying the aircraft without the proper licence; says it's a political witch-hunt.

March 15 - One Nation updates AEC register for 2015/16 to declare, under the heading "James Ashby", 243 flight hours in the Jabiru at a price of $125 an hour, not including fuel costs.

May - AEC tells a Senate hearing that notices to compel information had been issued as part of its investigation.

August 1 - Commonwealth prosecutor's office confirms it has received a brief of evidence, referred to it by the AEC.

(Source: Media reports, AEC/ECQ returns)


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