The meeting at Gympie

Shortly before the Gympie meeting started I was handed a signed transcript of discussions that were taped at a One Nation meeting held in Beaudesert south of Brisbane. The meeting was called by Brian McDermott on Sunday the 20th October at which loyal  Pauline Hanson One Nation members and David Oldfield, Pauline Hanson's political adviser, were locked outside while Australia First members debated whether they should be allowed to come in to that One Nation meeting. The meeting was attended by the president of the Hervey Bay branch, Malcolm Taylor, who was actively involved in these discussions. The transcript made very interesting reading.

Amongst the most vocal voices at the McDermott meeting was none other than Reg Bishop, the man who had been deposed from his position as President of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Oxley branch. It was Reg Bishop who had defied a branch motion that no contact be made with the media following the election of the new executive of that branch.

It was just after 12 noon when Pauline Hanson accompanied by David Ettridge and David Oldfield came into the room set aside in the large hall in the Gympie showgrounds. There were about 100 people present at the meeting representing about fifty branches of One Nation.

David Ettridge started proceedings by giving a brief background to the history behind the birth of Pauline Hanson's One Nation. He described his role as national director as simply one of protecting and developing the party. However, he said, his primary role was protecting... when he had time he would then attend to developing the party.

David detailed the four stage strategy for One Nation:

He then talked about the "white anting" being orchestrated by One Nation detractors not only going on in Queensland, but also in the south, referring to the David Syme College in Victoria who had "set themselves up to sell (One Nation) candidate courses.

"Once this was upstaged John Searle became a white ant using his mailing list of One Nation branches (collated through sales of the David Syme College book "Hansonism, trick or treat" authored by Don Veitch) by sending unsolicited information and by making unsolicited phone calls aimed at disrupting the party." 

(I was one of those on the David Syme College mailing list. I received an unsolicited and unauthorised document headed, "A proposal to democratize Pauline Hanson's One Nation Political Party and the Support Groups" from John Searle).

"There are now a small number of John Searle supporters active in our branches, but we are quickly weeding them out," Ettridge said.

Ettridge then turned his attention to Brian McDermott and his association with Graeme Campbell's Australia First party.

"We should not have people from Australia First speaking at One Nation branches. These white ants want us to stop growing and over the last few weeks they have been succeeding.

"We have now faced our first serious political attack (the one by McDermott).

"If we fall to our knees and fail to exist we will fail to save this country."

David Ettridge received very strong support from the assembly when he had finished his talk. He handed the microphone over to Pauline Hanson.

Note Pauline Hanson spoke off-the-cuff and the notes I took are extracts of some key areas that she covered.

Pauline Hanson, "People say that I have been controlled by the two David's. I can tell you that I am not controlled by anyone.

"Just over a year ago I was approached by Brian McDermott who said, 'We've got 60,0000 members out there why don't you come and join us?' I replied, 'Excuse me, I have got my own seat in Parliament why don't you go and get your own?"

Pauline went on to say, "I trust both David's implicitly - I cannot begin to describe the dedication my staff have given me.

"When Brett (Hocking) recently joined my staff he could not believe the amount of paperwork that passed over his desk.

"We have had four drums replaced in my fax machine in the last year.....

"I am just one voice. I could not do this without you. This is only going to work if we work as a team.

"I know what was going on with Malcolm Taylor at Hervey Bay - I wanted him out - he registered One Nation, Queensland in his own name.....

"Malcolm Taylor said that I could be the patron of my own party....

"Let me tell you after the next Federal election it won't just be Pauline Hanson it will be a team.

"Let me tell you I will resign from politics if someone tries to run my party (without my blessing). You have to have an organisation that is run from the top. If I have a lot of people who want to be chiefs out there and they make the wrong decision then I am the one who cops it (in the media).

"If anyone is going to destroy this party it is me. I will destroy it by walking away from it. I have not gone through the trials of the last twenty months for someone else to destroy (the party)."

"I am the president of Pauline Hanson's One Nation. Malcolm Taylor registered One Nation Queensland without saying a thing to me. I was furious that someone would go behind my back.

"I contacted my solicitors and (my) One Nation Queensland is now registered in my name - I am the president."

At this stage the meeting erupted into thunderous applause and support for Pauline Hanson.

"We are going to be in the Queensland state election. I  want you to come up with state issues and the candidates. We're going to do damn good. Not just me, but as a team, but I am in control and I am in charge....

"I may have come from a fish and chip shop but I use common sense.

"I stand for all Australians to be treated equal and to be the same.

"We've got to give people the incentive to get up and work for a living."

After Pauline Hanson's speech several questions were asked regarding the next state elections with several candidates posing questions to David Oldfield including the question of the status of members of the old Au$5 Pauline Hanson Support Group.

Ashley Paulson from Rockhampton came up with an idea that found favour. His proposal was that branches keep a book similar to the original Pauline Hanson Supporters Group. The money would be treated as one time donation and did not convey membership rights to vote.

A lay bye system for those having trouble paying the $40 membership fee was suggested by Alan of Pine Rivers branch.

After the questions had been exhausted (or nearly) a strong show of support for the two Davids and Pauline was given by a show of hands and clapping.

A bar-b-que followed the meeting.

The fellow on the right is the newest entry into Pauline Hanson's team. Brett Hocking is Pauline's new research officer who hails from Caboolture.

Below are some images taken at the bar-b-que. The two gorgeous ladies are Vanessa (black hair) and Heidi (red hair) who work out of Pauline Hanson's office in Ipswich.

Return to "the Day of Reckoning".