One Nation · governance
James Ashby’s national role reaches Victorian campaigning
Guardian Australia’s September investigation describes James Ashby as One Nation’s national director and argues that he exercises substantial operational power inside the party. That assessment is recorded as the Guardian’s conclusion rather than adopted as a finding of this project.
A separate 10 September report documents a concrete Victorian example: reporters from the ABC and Guardian Australia were removed from a Victorian One Nation press conference at Ashby’s instruction. This establishes operational involvement in media access during the Victorian campaign.
Reporting published on 25 September also records One Nation’s acknowledgement that party funds were loaned to Small Batch Brewing Pty Ltd for a shed and distilling equipment. The Guardian reports that the company is privately owned by Ashby, Pauline Hanson and former party treasurer Alex Jones. This is a governance and disclosure issue to follow; it is not presented here as proof of criminal conduct.
Network context
One Nation and the broader conservative/free-market ecosystem
For this site, the relevant distinction is between formal party relationships and a broader ecosystem of shared events, media appearances, policy arguments and personnel contacts. Current evidence does not establish a formal institutional alliance between One Nation and the IPA.
ABC analysis in June 2026 documented increasingly favourable IPA commentary about One Nation and noted shifts in the IPA’s own immigration rhetoric. Separately, IPA transcripts show James Ashby repeatedly sharing Credlin panels with IPA deputy executive director Daniel Wild in 2025–26.
Why it matters in Victoria: One Nation is fielding a large Victorian candidate slate while Ashby, as national director, is visibly involved in campaign operations. Network overlap is recorded as context, not as proof that the IPA directs Victorian One Nation candidates.
One Nation
Candidate funding and disclosure
Fundraisers advertised with Hanson and Victorian candidates
Scheduled events • Warren Pickering and Greg Hansford
One Nation’s official calendar advertised Pauline Hanson, Victorian leader and Pakenham candidate Warren Pickering, and Eastern Victoria candidate Greg Hansford for a $50 fundraiser in Sale on 31 August. Guardian Australia separately reported invitations to a $2,000-a-head private Melbourne lunch with Hanson expected to raise at least $36,000.
Evidence status: the advertised events, prices and candidate involvement are documented. Some One Nation invitations were amended to add state-party authorisation after Guardian inquiries. These records do not identify private attendees, prove how much was ultimately raised or establish influence by any donor.
One Nation
Party-announced candidates • Victoria
One Nation slate: 2 September snapshot
Formal VEC nominations remain pending
One Nation Victoria’s official directory listed 38 candidates when checked on 2 September 2026—15 more than on 30 August. The additions are Bianca Wilke (Gippsland South), Steve Goodman (Gippsland East), Tammy Lindrum (Albert Park), Nikole Schellekens (Bass), Cheryl Hawken (Bendigo East), Jamie Baker (Box Hill), Glenda Wright (Dandenong), Steve Campbell (Euroa), Harrison Rindfleish (Richmond), Alexander Lopez (Footscray), Guy Cooper (Mildura), Josh Geard (South Barwon), Phillip “Phil” Bryant (Shepparton), Sebastian Crutchfield (Narre Warren North) and Ashli Beards (Mornington).
Why it matters: the party is extending into metropolitan Labor and Greens territory as well as regional seats. Geard joins the already complicated South Barwon contest; Hawken enters the newly open Bendigo East contest. Evidence status: these are party-announced candidates, not the final ballot. This is a historical snapshot, not the current total. The directory is a living source and may add, remove or alter candidates; later additions await a complete reconciliation.