One Nation could raise as much as $633,000 from people who have expressed an interest in running for the Victorian state election, a figure that has sparked accusations that the party is conducting a cash grab. According to The Guardian, the party received expressions of interest from 1,209 individuals and moved about 220 to a final stage, where a $150 non‑refundable application fee and a $60 annual membership fee would bring in roughly $33,000 and $72,000 respectively.
Candidates who were pre‑selected were told they would need to contribute $5,500 of their own money to run, even though most lower‑house seats are considered unwinnable. If all 88 lower‑house and eight upper‑house candidates paid this amount, the party could receive an additional $528,000, bringing the total potential inflow to $633,000. The Guardian also noted that One Nation could receive up to $10 million in public electoral funding based on its polling numbers.
Former councillors, mayors and deputy mayors who applied complained that the process was superficial, involving 15‑minute video interviews and non‑disclosure agreements. Many felt they were “used, lied to, misled and gaslit,” and that the upper‑house candidates were “captain’s picks” chosen by state leader Warren Pickering, overlooking local‑government experience. A complaint letter to the party highlighted that the process appeared to conceal pre‑made decisions while presenting an open, merit‑based search.
One Nation defended the fees, saying they cover cost recovery for police and other checks on nominees and are standard across Australian parties. The party also claimed that all fees were deposited into the Victorian state campaign account in accordance with Electoral Commission rules. A political consultant who worked with the party last year described the process as a “money‑spinning exercise” and said it focused disproportionately on profits over policy.
