A Pauline Hanson staffer has been reported to the national corruption watchdog after legal documents indicated he stood to earn commissions from referring financially distressed farmers to a Brisbane law firm. Donald Bundesen, a lawyer employed by Senator Hanson as a senior adviser, met these farmers during a 2017 Senate inquiry into rural lending and subsequently referred them to Taylor David Lawyers.
According to documents obtained by the ABC, cost agreements state that the firm would pay Mr. Bundesen's company 20 percent commissions when taking on the farmers' cases against banks. Integrity experts have described the arrangement as highly questionable, particularly if it involves Mr. Bundesen profiting from information he gathered as a taxpayer-funded parliamentary staffer.
Last month, former One Nation senator Brian Burston referred the matter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which acknowledged via email that it was considering his complaint. However, Mr. Bundesen has denied receiving any money, claiming the documents reflect a "previous agreement" he had with the law firm before he was hired by Senator Hanson in 2016.
One of the cost agreements states: "If you have been referred to us by Connect Law Pty Ltd (Donald Bundesen), we will pay Connect Law Pty Ltd a referral fee, in the amount of 20% of professional fees (excluding GST) received by Taylor David Lawyers in relation to this matter." Mr. Bundesen is the sole director and shareholder of Connect Law.
Western Australian farmer David McCagh expressed shock upon discovering the referral fee in his agreement. "I feel foolish for admitting it, but no, I did not see it [until 2021], and it was never, ever mentioned either," he said. "When I spoke to Malcolm Roberts, I was just shocked and said, 'Look, he's getting a referral fee and it's in the bloody cost agreement.'" His comments were met with surprise from Senator Roberts, who reportedly exclaimed, "Oh, f---."
Another farmer, Charlie "Lee" Wallace, recounted how he received the costs agreement just before Taylor David Lawyers was due to file his case in court. "I didn't really have a chance to read it," he said. "The situation I was in, I just had a heart operation. It was a bit of a panic job to get it there, and I went with him and signed it, trusting him." Mr. Wallace estimated his legal fees were around $7,700 but noted he received a discount.
Geoffrey Watson SC, a director of the Centre for Public Integrity, stated that "virtually every aspect of this arrangement is questionable." He emphasized that Mr. Bundesen, as a member of parliamentary staff, is subject to a code of conduct that requires the "highest standards of integrity." He further commented on the law firm's costs agreements, which failed to disclose why a 20 percent payment was being made to an individual.
Chad Gear, the lawyer who took the referrals, told the ABC he could not comment on whether any fees were paid to Mr. Bundesen. The law firm reportedly has no record of any payments made to him. In response to the allegations, Mr. Bundesen stated that it would be "not at all" appropriate to receive the fees, insisting he has "never received a cent from anybody for any work that I've done whilst I'm here with Senator Hanson." He attributed the reference to Connect Law in the cost agreements to a "pre-existing cost agreement" with Taylor David Lawyers before he began working for Senator Hanson.
Mr. Watson argued that the documents only refer to fees applicable in the farmers' matters, not to any prior agreement. He stated that a prior agreement would not need to be disclosed as it would not be relevant. Mr. Bundesen also mentioned that he could not recall if he had received any past referral fees from Taylor David Lawyers, noting that the farmers he met through the inquiry were typically cash-strapped and "desperate" for legal assistance.
In a separate political development, the Coalition has made a preference deal with One Nation, a party led by Pauline Hanson. Once considered too extreme for the Liberal Party, One Nation's influence has grown significantly over the years. In 1996, Hanson was disendorsed by the Liberal Party after making controversial comments about Aboriginal people, but now the Coalition is aligning itself with her party.
Sean Gordon, a member of the Liberal Party, suggested that the Coalition's change in attitude towards One Nation is driven by desperation and a shift too far to the right. He noted that parties leaning too far left or right typically struggle to gain election success. Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, has defended One Nation, claiming the party supports efforts to audit government spending and address issues in Indigenous communities.
Amidst these political shifts, the Coalition is also grappling with the cost of living crisis, a major issue in the current election campaign. A recent poll indicated that Labor now leads the Coalition on this issue, reversing previous trends. This has prompted the Coalition to pivot towards culture-war topics, such as the Welcome to Country ceremonies.
Peter Dutton, the leader of the Opposition, initially condemned the booing of Welcome to Country at an Anzac Day service but later declared that such welcomes were inappropriate on that day. His comments have drawn criticism and raised questions about the Coalition's stance on Indigenous recognition.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the Coalition's preference deal with One Nation and the allegations against Mr. Bundesen highlight the complexities and challenges facing Australian politics today. The intertwining of corruption claims and shifting political alliances may significantly impact the upcoming elections.
