Senator Fraser Anning was escorted by Senator David Leyonhjelm and Senator Cory Bernardi at Parliament House on Monday,as he was sworn in as a One Nation senator. An hour later,he was an independent.Credit:Andrew Meares
Senator Hanson says she believes those staff members have been urging Senator Anning to defect to Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives party.
"Before the citizenship cloud hovered over Malcolm Roberts'head,I had already approached Fraser Anning to contest the seat of Gladstone in the upcoming Queensland State election. I was of the view at the time Fraser would be a solid candidate for that electorate,"Senator Hanson said.
"Mr Anning dismissed the request on the grounds that he and his wife were determined to make a permanent move to the United States to join their two daughters and grandchildren,who own a business venture on the West Coast."
Before the High Court's ruling,which disqualified Mr Roberts,Senator Hanson had tried to speak to Mr Anning while he was overseas but those efforts"fell on deaf ears".
She was forced to communicate through Senator Anning's brother,Harry,while he was travelling through North Queensland in September.