Pauline Hanson Faces Scrutiny for Undisclosed Business Interests Linked to Controversial Film
January 26, 2026 — 5:00 AM
In a significant oversight, Pauline Hanson, leader of the One Nation party, has not publicly disclosed her roles as a director or her shareholdings in three companies, one of which is associated with her forthcoming satirical film titled A Super Progressive Movie.
These companies are linked to Alexander Jones, a party official who, in 2023, pleaded guilty to an attempted electoral fraud charge amounting to $24,000. Furthermore, two of these companies are tied to James Ashby, who serves as Hanson's chief of staff. According to Senate regulations, members are required to update their business interests within 35 days of any changes. However, corporate documentation reveals that Hanson has failed to declare one of her directorships for nearly five years.
This latest incident adds to a troubling pattern of transparency issues surrounding the Queensland senator, especially as she recently expressed her ambition to form a government. "I’ve got a hell of a job ahead of me," Hanson remarked last week after a report indicated a record primary vote of 18 percent for One Nation, as revealed by the Resolve Political Monitor. In a notable shift, Newspoll data also indicated One Nation's support had surpassed that of the Coalition for the first time in the survey's history.
"We’ve got to maintain that support and confidence from the Australian people that we can hopefully form government," she added.
Hanson's public interest register does show that she possesses shares in several companies, including Webjet, AMP, and Bowen Coking Coal. On October 28, she acquired shares in A Pauline Production Pty Ltd, the entity that owns half of A Super Progressive Movie Pty Ltd. This animated satire, scheduled for release on Australia Day and available for streaming at a price of $12.99, is promoted as "A Pauline Production" and aims to critique "woke politics," featuring a cast of left-leaning characters portrayed as having taken control of Australia.
Additionally, Hanson has not disclosed her shareholding or directorship in Small Batch Brewing Pty Ltd, which she joined in March. Interestingly, this venture emerged years after she initially proposed launching a craft beer aimed at connecting with voters.
When approached for comments regarding these business dealings, a spokesperson for Hanson opted not to elaborate on their nature.
Alexander Jones, who plays multiple roles including director, secretary, and shareholder in both businesses, faced legal troubles after he was caught altering email timestamps to make a late funding claim from the Electoral Commission of Queensland. His attorney argued that this was merely an error resulting from an overwhelming workload. Notably, no formal conviction was recorded against him.
Hanson's spokesperson insisted that the production and brewing companies are not currently operational and do not present any conflicts of interest. "In the interest of transparency, Senator Hanson’s office is seeking confirmation from the Senate tabling office and will update the record if necessary," the spokesperson stated. They also noted that proceeds from A Super Progressive Movie would be redirected to support One Nation in its quest to secure seats from the current Albanese Labor government in the upcoming 2028 federal election.
Since 2021, Hanson has held the position of director for Pauline Hanson One Nation Ltd, yet she has listed her directorships as "nil." Her spokesperson acknowledged that this oversight of not declaring her non-compensated position within the party will be corrected soon.
Under parliamentary guidelines, a senator who deliberately fails to declare interests may face serious contempt charges by the Senate. However, in practice, such omissions and delays in updates often go unpunished.
For instance, in 2017, Hanson did not disclose a $4,500 snorkeling trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Additionally, in 2020, her office cited a series of "administrative issues" as the reason her shareholding in a recycling company went undeclared for six months.
In November, it was reported that Hanson claimed $2,100 in taxpayer funds for various expenses related to attending a private Federal Court case, in which Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi successfully sued her for racial discrimination.
According to the latest Resolve Political Monitor, published on January 18, support for the Coalition stands at 28 percent, while One Nation has climbed to 18 percent, marking a 4-point increase over December and significantly higher than the 6.4 percent primary vote they received in the May election.
