One Nation has been accused of buying a private plane with money donated by a Victorian businessman and using it to "ferry Pauline Hanson around" without disclosing the donation to authorities, possibly placing the party in breach of electoral laws.
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In an explosive episode of Four Corners on Monday night, former party treasurer Ian Nelson claimed he urged Senator Hanson and her high-profile chief of staff James Ashby to disclose the donation, but was over ruled.
Four Corners broadcast details of emails and text messages between Victorian property developer Bill McNee, Mr Ashby, and party officials in April and May 2015.
"After Bill McNee said, 'yes, we'll have to get you a plane', it's my understanding that means, 'well, alright, I'll buy you a plane'," Mr Nelson said.
"But as it turns out, Bill McNee didn't buy the plane but as I understand it he transferred the funds to James Ashby, not the party, not Pauline, but to James Ashby."
Four Corners cited documents showing the plane was insured in Mr Ashby's name.
Mr Nelson said Ms Hanson told him not to worry when he urged her to declare the plane, and that she walked away when he asked whether Mr McNee had bought the plane for Mr Ashby to use for the party.
He said Mr Ashby also urged him against identifying political donors, despite Queensland electoral law requiring these details.
Asked to describe the culture within the party, Mr Nelson did not hold back. It was a "brutal dictatorship", he said. "Brutal."
Mr McNee told Four Corners he had not supported any political party outside what is already disclosed.
Neither Mr Ashby nor Senator Hanson would speak to Four Corners, and Mr Ashby's mobile repeatedly diverted to voicemail on Monday night.
Outlining the inner workings of Senator Hanson's political party, Western Australian members claimed Senator Hanson hoodwinked them over the controversial preference deal with the Liberals ahead of the state poll on March 11.
One former member who spoke to the program was 79-year old Marye Daniels, a One Nation member of 20 years who - with her husband - was sacked from the party last month.
Ms Daniels claimed that WA Senator Michaelia Cash personally escorted Senator Hanson to a "secret meeting" on December 21, ahead of the Liberals and One Nation brokering a preference deal.
That meeting turned out to be dinner with Senator Cash's fellow Senate powerbroker - Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.
When they negotiated a deal for the WA election, the WA Liberals overturned former prime minister John Howard's dictum that the party should always preference One Nation last.
The Liberals were routed in the state poll and One Nation polled worse than expected. Senator Hanson blamed the preference deal as a reason for her poorer-than-expected showing.
"I went to the door and I nearly died", Ms Daniels told the ABC. "There was Michaelia Cash and another gentleman, I didn't know it was her husband.
"Seeing Michaelia Cash at the door, [the preference deal] was all arranged and nobody needed to introduce anybody - they all knew each other."
It has previously been reported that Senators Cash and Cormann helped broker the deal with One Nation before it was formally adopted by the state organisation. Both Senators have refused to comment on their role in the dealand say they regularly meet with crossbench senators.
Asked to respond to the newly-aired details surrounding the controversial preference deal, both Senator Cormann and Senator Cash refused to comment.
