One Nation could collect as much as $633,000 from people who have put their hand up to run in the Victorian state election, prompting accusations that the party is staging a “cash grab”.
According to a complaint letter seen by Guardian Australia, former councillors, mayors and deputy mayors who applied to stand for the party were told they would need to pay a fee as part of a “pay‑to‑play” application process. After the payment, the applicants were subsequently rejected, leaving them feeling “used, lied to, misled and gaslit”.
Guardian Australia spoke to several former local‑government officials who expressed these concerns. They said the application process promised acceptance in exchange for the fee, but the party later denied their candidacy.
The Victorian state election is scheduled for 2026, and the potential $630,000 figure would be reached if a large number of applicants paid the fee. The amount has drawn scrutiny from potential candidates and observers who question whether the money is being raised for legitimate party costs or for other purposes.
One Nation is a right‑wing populist party that has contested federal elections in Australia. The allegations of a pay‑to‑play scheme have led several prospective candidates to call the party’s fundraising tactics into question.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>
