Australia
Gina Rinehart allegedly tried to recruit Liberal MP for One Nation
Billionaire backer Gina Rinehart reportedly tried to convince a sitting federal Liberal MP to defect to the One Nation party.
Billionaire One Nation backer Gina Rinehart allegedly attempted to help recruit a sitting federal Liberal member of parliament to join the minor party. The alleged recruitment attempt is reported to have taken place at one of Ms Rinehart's holiday homes.
The details of the meeting emerged in a wire report published this week. According to the reporting, Ms Rinehart, who is widely known as a prominent supporter of the party, was directly involved in the effort to convince the unnamed federal politician to switch alignments.
Many details of the encounter remain unconfirmed. The identity of the federal Liberal MP has not been publicly disclosed, and it is not yet clear when the meeting occurred or which of Ms Rinehart's holiday properties hosted the gathering. The response of the MP to the alleged approach also remains unknown at this stage.
Ms Rinehart has long been recognised as an influential and wealthy figure in Australian politics. Her backing of One Nation has been a subject of ongoing discussion, but direct involvement in recruiting sitting coalition MPs represents a significant development if the allegations are confirmed.
Neither Ms Rinehart nor representatives for One Nation have issued formal statements addressing the specific allegations. The Liberal Party has also not commented publicly on the claims or whether any internal inquiries are underway regarding the matter.
Political observers will now be watching to see if the identity of the federal MP is revealed or if Ms Rinehart releases a statement responding to the recruitment allegations.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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