One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has broken down in a live television interview, accusing her party colleague and long-time friend of stabbing her in the back and trying to defect to another party.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Senator Brian Burston, a former Cessnock councillor and deputy mayor, denies he tried to join the NSW Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party but another senator claims he's been canvassing ideas for leaving One Nation, including a new conservative alliance.
Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm told ABC radio Senator Burston "feels let down" and discussed his future at a dinner last week with himself and One Nation defector turned independent Fraser Anning.
"One of his ideas was to form some sort of alliance with me and a couple of the other senators," he said, adding it was one of half-a-dozen ideas tossed around.
Senator Burston has reportedly claimed the remark was tongue-in-cheek and quickly dismissed.
There's been ongoing tension between the 20-year One Nation member and the party's leader.
On Thursday he announced he would go against Senator Hanson's authority and back the federal government's $35.6 billion corporate tax cuts, prompting Senator Hanson to label him a traitor.
He fired back, accusing her of creating "policy on-the-run in The Australian newspaper", but telling ABC radio he would remain in One Nation "unless Pauline decides otherwise".
"I would not contemplate joining (the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) party - they rank very lowly in comparison to One Nation in the polls.
Shooters and Fishers NSW state MP Robert Borsak says he did seek a meeting about joining.
In an emotional interview on Thursday night, Senator Hanson told Sky News that she was deeply hurt by Senator Burston's decision to defy her authority.
"For him to turn around and do this to me -- it's hard. But I'm going to keep going. And I'm going to get good people in that parliament beside me," she said.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has told Sky News it wasn't in his or the government's interest for One Nation to split.
"It would be preferable if all three One Nation senators remained committed to the consensus that we reached," he said.
His colleague Christopher Pyne said he hoped the senators worked out their differences over company tax cuts.
"I hope they also work out their personal relationships because politics is politics. Friendship is more important in many respects," he told the Nine Network.
Australian Associated Press
