Andrew Hastie has vowed to intensify his attack on One Nation, telling Barnaby Joyce that the party had “not seen anything yet” after its leader Pauline Hanson labelled him a traitor in a cartoon.
The Liberal frontbencher said he would “go all the way with One Nation” and accused the party of mistaking restraint for weakness. His comments deepen a public split between Hanson and Joyce, who apologised to Mr Hastie over the cartoon.
“As I said to Barnaby in text, I will continue. Consider last week a demonstration. They haven’t seen anything yet. I’ll go all the way with One Nation if they want,” Mr Hastie said.
“Weakness is provocative … these guys thought I was weak.”
Hanson published the cartoon, titled Please Explain, after Mr Hastie gave evidence in Ben Roberts-Smith’s unsuccessful defamation case. It repeatedly depicted the Liberal MP as a traitor.
Mr Hastie previously called Ms Hanson a “lying coward” after she denied using the term, while insisting the cartoon was satire. She refused to remove it from social media, although it was later unpinned from the top of her X feed.
The accusation drew criticism from MPs across the political spectrum and the Returned and Services League. One Nation’s Western Australian leader also distanced himself from it.
Mr Hastie said he felt sorry for Mr Joyce, who left the party that made him deputy prime minister twice to join One Nation, where he had become a prominent recruit.
“There’s no principles; they’re all over the shop, and he’s out there every week cleaning up after them,” Mr Hastie said.
He accused Ms Hanson of politicising the Roberts-Smith case, but said public pressure would not change his views. Mr Hastie has increased his personal security after receiving threats from supporters of Mr Roberts-Smith and is fighting to retain his seat at the next election.
He said constituents had told him while he was doorknocking that they accepted killing and rape in war. “I’ve got to tell you, I’m not happy with that at all,” he said.
Mr Hastie also rejected Ms Hanson’s suggestion that his attacks were intended to strengthen his leadership prospects. He said Angus Taylor was the Coalition leader and that he had remained loyal to him.
“Judge me by my actions, and I’ve shown loyalty to Angus since he became leader,” Mr Hastie said, while acknowledging that every MP imagined they might one day lead. He described his own leadership ambitions as a baton kept “somewhere in” his knapsack.
He further criticised Ms Hanson for remarks about the late mother of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was a disability pensioner and lived in public housing for much of her life.
“I don’t think you should be talking about the late mother of anyone in this game,” Mr Hastie said. “So let’s leave mums out of it.”
Ms Hanson has previously described Mr Albanese’s references to his upbringing in public housing as “pathetic”, arguing that public housing should provide a temporary hand up rather than a decades-long home.
Special Minister of State Don Farrell said he had met Ms Hanson to discuss her concerns but described her comments about the Prime Minister’s mother, who died more than 20 years ago, as “appalling”.
“She wants dignity and respect from her fellow parliamentarians. Attacking the prime minister’s mother like this is not a way to get respect and dignity from your colleagues,” Mr Farrell said, and called on Ms Hanson to withdraw the remark.
