One Nation MP David Farley Rejects Albanese’s Offer of an Extra Staffer

One Nation MP David Farley has rejected an offer from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to employ an additional personal adviser. The rejection became public on October 29, after a member of Albanese's team delivered the authorising letter to Farley's Parliament House office in Canberra on Monday, October 26. Farley represents Farrer in New South Wales. Farley's rejection letter said he was declining the allocation pending broader negotiations between One Nation and the prime minister's office. Party leader Pauline Hanson accused Albanese of using staffing allocations to exert political influence. Hanson said: “This is the type of politics that Australians are sick of.” The offered adviser position carried a base salary of up to A$160,043 and a personal staff allowance of up to A$35,387. MPs ordinarily receive five electorate officers, while the prime minister controls additional personal staffing. Farley had been the only House crossbencher without extra personal staff. Separately, Albanese was asked at an October 29 press conference whether independent Senator Fatima Payman should receive another staff member and whether the prime minister should decide staffing alone. He said Payman had the staffing she had when elected for Labor, plus an additional position provided to all senators and House members.