The very short history of Pauline's United Australia Party

When you think of Pauline Hanson’s party, you probably think of One Nation - but in 2007, she ran for a very different party.

The year is 2007 - an election year.

Pauline Hanson is out of One Nation & has tried to run as an independent in 2004 for the senate - but failed.

So, what to do? Launch your own party…again

In late May, Hanson announced ‘Pauline’s United Australia Party.’

The name, of course, falls back on the old UAP - the one Robert Menzies was a part of - but like with Clive Palmer’s party, they’re unrelated.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time, “the party structure will help the former fish and chip shop owner improve her chances of stealing a seat from the bigger parties.”

“As an independent, she would only get votes from people bothered with numbering their entire ballot paper.”

This is her website from the time, featuring the slogan: "protecting the Australian way of life."

That was actually part of a song written for the party.

Chris Callaghan was the man who wrote the song alongside Ms Hanson, as well as singing it.

It was used in 3 TV commercials for Ms Hanson, all of which were uploaded to a seemingly official YouTube Channel with 18 subscribers.

Anyway, 6 News found Chris Callaghan & asked him a few questions about the song via email.

He told 6 News that he was “hoping to capture the essence of what it is to be Australian and our generally open and welcoming attitude towards immigrants and a multicultural society.’

He adds that "it “’trended’ online in the UK when first released as a “racist” song which surprised me as my intent was to be inclusive."

Callaghan says he was a member and supporter of many of the issues put forward by PUAP at the time, “but our relationship and connection was equally about her (Pauline Hanson's) enjoyment of country music, when we met at my show during the Tamworth 2007 annual festival."

“I am less involved in politics these days, but I think she has done a good job during her time as a senator."

"I’m still very respectful of Pauline's contribution to the political debate in this country and the substantial influence on some important major party policies since 1996."

So after all that, how did the PUAP go?

In Queensland, Pauline Hanson, alongside David Saville, had just over 100,000 votes - that’s around 4.20% - putting them in fourth place by party.

That's behind the Liberals & Nationals, Labor & the Greens but ahead of:

• Family First

• Australian Democrats

• Fishing Party

• Fishing and Lifestyle Party

• What Women Want

• Shooters (now known as Shooters, Fishers & Farmers)

• Climate Change Coalition

• Democratic Labour Party

• Christian Democrats

• Carers Alliance

• One Nation (unaffiliated with Pauline Hanson at the time)

• Liberty & Democracy (now known as Liberal Democrats)

• Socialist Alliance

• Group K

• Group X

• Non-Custodial Parents Party

• Senator Online (later Online Direct Democracy)

• Citizens Electoral Council of Australia (now known as Australian Citizens Party)

• Group N

And a bunch of independents.

The PUAP also ran in NSW with Brian Burston - who later became a One Nation & then UAP senator - and John Carter on the ticket.

There, they had just under 40,000 votes - 0.95% - behind the Liberal/National Coalition, Labor, Greens, Christian Democrats, DLP & a joint Shooters/Fishing and Lifestyle ticket - but ahead of all the parties we mentioned in Queensland, as well as:

• Climate Conservatives (later Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy Australia)

• Socialist Equality

• Hear Our Voice

• Group J

• Group V

• Group P

And a bunch of independents.

Of course, as we all know - Pauline Hanson’s now back as One Nation leader & eventually got into the senate in 2016.

The party was soon deregistered & it was later reported Hanson withdrew from the party after transferring more than $200,000 from its main bank ­account and sacking the ­office bearers who complained that she had no right to the money.

Watch the full edition of SpinCheck here.

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