{"id":658669,"date":"2026-05-08T23:27:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T23:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/658669\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T23:27:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T23:27:19","slug":"pauline-hanson-questions-james-ashbys-decision-to-eject-abc-journalists-from-albury-media-event-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/658669\/","title":{"rendered":"Pauline Hanson questions James Ashby&#8217;s decision to eject ABC journalists from Albury media event"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Natassia Chrysanthos\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"64\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0fb5deab2dcc05eb259ce66b5d04bb294f5fea43.png\"  width=\"64\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 bdzZhU\"\/>Save<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 JmUoF\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/goodfood\/saved\" class=\"sc-3f16ee48-12 sc-d1b14060-2 jyLmZI fPBBmK\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n<p>AAA<\/p>\n<p>One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and her chief-of-staff, James Ashby, have clashed over his decision to eject regional ABC journalists from a media event in Albury on the eve of the Farrer byelection.<\/p>\n<p>Exclusive footage taken by Nine News shows Ashby and a One Nation volunteer escorting a two-person ABC crew, based at nearby Wodonga, from the venue where Hanson, Barnaby Joyce and Farrer candidate David Farley were about to give a press conference on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>As the journalists questioned who was kicking them out, Ashby said it was his decision and told them to ask the ABC\u2019s Canberra boss for an explanation.<\/p>\n<p>But Hanson appeared to be as confused as the ABC crew in her interaction with Ashby afterwards. \u201cWhy, if they\u2019re local ABC? Rural and regional?\u201d she asked him, according to the video footage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause they\u2019re reporting back to ABC Canberra,\u201d Ashby said.<\/p>\n<p>Hanson replied: \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t have gone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The interaction is the latest miscommunication within One Nation in recent days. Earlier this week, Ashby claimed on Sky News that Hanson might run for a lower house seat at the next election. The next day, Hanson said a move was under consideration but that she was \u201csurprised\u201d that Ashby had raised it on television.<\/p>\n<p>The party also changed its lines on a <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/paterson-s-video-stunt-the-coalition-s-one-nation-crisis-writ-small-20260506-p5zugk.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">scuffle between Liberal senator James Paterson and a One Nation volunteer<\/a> outside an Albury pre-poll booth on Wednesday, in which Paterson filmed an argument between the pair.<\/p>\n<p>Paterson said that he had been assaulted after <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/fugitive-farley-ducks-tv-cameras-in-farrer-as-taylor-takes-firm-line-against-one-nation-20260506-p5zu63.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the volunteer grabbed the senator\u2019s phone<\/a> once he realised he was being filmed. Farley condemned the incident, and Hanson initially apologised for it.<\/p>\n<p>Related Article<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/paterson-s-video-stunt-the-coalition-s-one-nation-crisis-writ-small-20260506-p5zugk.html\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Footage of Senator James Paterson\u2019s altercation with a One Nation volunteer.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778282838_320_5002a2e6b97bc7556cf8a90c6d60de613e37496f5da56780a72ae3868beb3693.gif\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ioInpc\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Later that night, however, Ashby blamed Paterson for the altercation and said the senator had \u201crage baited\u201d the pensioner. The next day, Hanson walked back her own apology and <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/literally-the-last-mp-i-would-take-advice-from-paterson-joyce-debate-decorum-20260507-p5zuq2.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">vowed to stand by the volunteer<\/a>, saying she had not seen the full footage when she had made her initial comments.<\/p>\n<p>The campaign drama comes as One Nation attempts to capitalise on its record high polling by seizing the seat of Farrer from the Liberals and Nationals for the first time in its 77-year history at Saturday\u2019s byelection.<\/p>\n<p>This masthead\u2019s reporting on Farley\u2019s <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/infighting-erupts-in-one-nation-over-farrer-candidate-s-campaign-20260504-p5zthe.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">former attempts to stand as a Labor candidate<\/a> has cast a shadow over the minor party\u2019s campaign, although he remains the frontrunner. The Coalition parties will direct their preferences to One Nation.<\/p>\n<p>Farley\u2019s main contender <a class=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/the-locals-all-know-the-independent-who-wants-to-beat-one-nation-the-test-is-if-they-believe-in-her-20260508-p5zuxg.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">is the Climate 200-backed independent Michelle Milthorpe<\/a>, who won every booth in Albury against Sussan Ley at the 2025 election.<\/p>\n<p>All major candidates and their party leaders \u2013 including Liberal leader Angus Taylor, Nationals leader Matt Canavan and Hanson \u2013 have based themselves in Albury, where almost half the electorate lives, for the final days of the campaign.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Friday\u2019s dispute between One Nation and the ABC crew happened before a One Nation press conference in the regional town. As a volunteer told them to leave, the ABC journalists asked who the directive was coming from, saying: \u201cWe\u2019re a taxpayer-funded news organisation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The journalists continued to question the decision as they were escorted out of the room.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the ABC going, guys. Bye-bye to the ABC,\u201d Ashby said as they walked down the corridor.<\/p>\n<p>Related Article<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/f-the-lot-of-youse-inside-the-deep-political-bitterness-of-the-farrer-byelection-20260506-p5zugm.html\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"One Nation wave in the Farrer byelection.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778234653_272_556ccaac271cd943c552b648e4bf195b49b88820b5e37cc124fcb4b5c19098e1.gif\"  class=\"sc-d34e428-1 ioInpc\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWas that on your behalf, David?\u201d the ABC reporter asked Farley, who stood with Hanson and Joyce near the door.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, no, that\u2019s me, I\u2019ve asked, thank you very much,\u201d Ashby said from behind them.<\/p>\n<p>The reporter asked Ashby on what grounds they were being kicked out, and he told her to ask the ABC\u2019s chief of staff in Canberra.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re based in Wodonga. We\u2019re based in Farrer. We serve the local community,\u201d the reporter replied.<\/p>\n<p>Save<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-d1b14060-4 JmUoF\">You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n<p>Remove items from your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/goodfood\/saved\" class=\"sc-3f16ee48-12 sc-d1b14060-2 jyLmZI fPBBmK\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Natassia Chrysanthos\" data-testid=\"author-avatar-image\" height=\"40\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769326452_497_0fb5deab2dcc05eb259ce66b5d04bb294f5fea43.png\"  width=\"40\" class=\"sc-9a01536c-0 bdzZhU\"\/><a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm sc-b5b9fd03-2 iiIta-D\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/by\/natassia-chrysanthos-h17jwj\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Natassia Chrysanthos<\/a> is Federal Political Correspondent. She has previously reported on immigration, health, social issues and the NDIS from Parliament House in Canberra.Connect via <a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm sc-b5b9fd03-5 czsZcI\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/natassiazc?lang=en\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">X<\/a> or <a class=\"sc-cba76dee-0 hdiTqm sc-b5b9fd03-5 czsZcI\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/politics\/federal\/mailto:n.chrysanthos@smh.com.au\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":657470,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[43,44,41,39,42,40],"class_list":["post-658669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/658669","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=658669"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/658669\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/657470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=658669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=658669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=658669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}