Lee Hanson, daughter of Pauline Hanson, has been working remotely in Tasmania as a senior adviser to New South Wales One Nation Senator Sean Bell without obtaining the mandatory ministerial approval, according to parliamentary staffing rules.

Under regulations governing parliamentary staff, advisers are required to work from either Canberra or the parliamentarian’s home base unless special approval is granted by the special minister of state for an alternative work location. However, when Bell appointed Hanson, no formal request for such an arrangement was submitted.

The Department of Finance later approved a contract change classifying Hanson from an electorate officer to a personal adviser, but this was done without following the proper procedural steps. Sources familiar with the matter described the situation as a departmental oversight that allowed Hanson's employment and work location to proceed without the necessary ministerial review.

Hanson’s role reportedly offers a salary between $150,000 and $180,000 annually, based on the current enterprise agreement for such positions. Analysis of Hanson’s social media activity indicates frequent involvement in One Nation campaign events in Tasmania during regular working hours. If these activities were conducted without taking official leave, it could constitute a breach of the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act, which stipulates that staff employed to assist parliamentarians must not engage in party political work during official hours.

Multiple posts and videos on Hanson’s social media profiles and the One Nation Tasmania page document her engagement in campaign efforts while ostensibly on the clock. These include community events, such as opening a new community center in Longford with the organization Rekindle, and participating in Tasmania’s AgFest festival, where she campaigned and engaged with local groups like Scouts Tasmania.

Several instances suggest a lack of clarity around the timing of some activities. For example, Hanson mistakenly referenced a meeting with Concerned Farmers Tasmania as occurring on one day when it took place the previous day. The meeting was confirmed to have happened on May 15, despite a social media post dated May 16 stating otherwise.

Hanson has also been active in state-level outreach, opening five new One Nation branches in Tasmania and claiming to have recruited thousands of new members. She maintains a visible presence in local media, giving interviews about One Nation’s growth in the region and posting statements related to Tasmanian issues.

In addition to her advisory role, Hanson serves on One Nation’s federal executive and manages the party’s human resources functions in parliament. An internal party email from June, attributed to Hanson, announced appointments to the office of MP David Farley and signaled ongoing recruitment efforts.

Attempts to obtain comment from Lee Hanson and One Nation were unsuccessful.