Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie has accused Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce of being "lying cowards" following their denial of claims that they called him a traitor. Hastie stated he would no longer tolerate "slander" from One Nation regarding his testimony in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Hastie challenged Hanson to address a social media post he alleges repeatedly labeled him a traitor. "Yesterday, I said that Pauline Hanson and One Nation had called me a traitor to my own country," Hastie said. "Today, Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson both denied it... I'm calling them lying cowards."
Hastie asserted he possessed evidence for his claims, referencing an episode of Hanson's animated series "Please Explain." He stated, "I have the receipts here. On July 23, Pauline Hanson posted and pinned to her X account a cartoon which, eight times, calls me a traitor." The episode reportedly depicts cartoon versions of Hastie and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussing online criticism directed at Hastie.
According to Hastie, the animated character representing him says, "All I did was testify against Ben Roberts-Smith and support your evil hate speech legislation after promising not to." The cartoon Albanese character then replies, "Yeah right. That is pretty traitorous, actually." The narrative continues with characters calling the Hastie character a "stupid traitor" and a "paranoid traitor."
Hastie contended that One Nation had politicized the defamation case, which involves allegations of war crimes against Ben Roberts-Smith, "to the detriment of everyone involved, including Ben Roberts Smith." As a former SAS officer, Hastie found the accusation of being a traitor deeply offensive, particularly given his military service and that of other veterans who have provided testimony in the Federal Court.
"I'm proud of my service in uniform and in this Parliament. It's a slur on me. It's a slur on other veterans who have given evidence under oath in the Federal Court," he stated.
Hastie issued a direct challenge to Hanson and Joyce, urging them to "own it and explain why I'm a traitor, and why other veterans are traitors, or delete it."
He questioned whether Hanson and Joyce were also accusing the other 26 combat veterans who testified in the federal court of being traitors. "I'm calling on Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce to own this cartoon. Step into the house or outside the house, I don't really care, use parliamentary privilege or don't, explain why I and other veterans and indeed serving members of the ADF who think war crimes are wrong are traitors to their country."
Hastie emphasized his belief in the rule of law and the importance of holding Australian soldiers to high standards of battlefield conduct. He added that Hanson and Joyce, who have not served in the military, "don't get to define ANZAC day or ANZAC or the values that underpin our defence force."
He concluded by stating he would not stand by while his name, his family's name, or the names of veterans struggling with moral trauma and other ADF service members are slandered by association with the accusations.
One Nation is reportedly targeting Hastie's Canning seat in the upcoming election.