Pauline Hanson has called on the prime minister to sack the government-appointed administrator of Norfolk Island, Gary Hardgrave, accusing him of misleading the Australian parliament, a claim he dismissed as “nonsense”.
Hardgrave dismissed the allegations – in which the One Nation leader disputes whether the island’s population was properly consulted on self-governance – saying only: “These allegations are nonsense and not worth responding to.”
In a bipartisan decision from the parliament last May, the island’s right to self-govern was abolished due to its reliance on Australia for funding and its lack of services, including comprehensive healthcare.
Hardgrave was appointed by the government to oversee the island’s transition from being an external Australian territory to becoming a part of the commonwealth, and a mix of NSW and commonwealth laws and social and welfare benefits have since been introduced.
Hanson has been on the island since Tuesday on the invitation of Norfolk Island People for Democracy, a group opposed to the Australian government’s revoking of the island’s autonomy and who are fighting to have the decision overturned.
On Wednesday, Hanson wrote to Malcolm Turnbull to say she had uncovered “evidence of serious misconduct” involving Hardgrave. She called for his urgent dismissal based on the allegations.
“Mr Hardgrave appears to have mislead the Australian parliament and successive government ministers through his repeated claims that genuine democratic consultation with the people of Norfolk Island occurred prior to the abolition of self-governance, and that the majority of Norfolk Island residents support these changes,” she said.
“These statements do not stand up to examination. A referendum held on the island last year found almost 70% of residents were opposed to the commonwealth takeover.”
However some have argued the wording on the referendum was opaque. Instead of simply asking islanders who they would like to be governed by, the question read: “Should the people of Norfolk Island have the right to freely determine their political status, their economic, social and cultural development, and be consulted ... on the future model of governance for Norfolk Island before such changes are acted on by the Australian parliament?”
And despite protestations from islanders to coming under Australian rule, there are also islanders who have welcomed the change in governance and the access to Medicare and the pension.
But Hanson alleged to Turnbull that Hardgrave was a “divisive, counterproductive figure on Norfolk Island” and accused him of censoring political discussion.
In a statement, Fiona Nash, the minister for regional development who oversees Hardgrave’s position, described him as “an experienced statutory office holder with a long record of public service”.
“Mr Hardgrave will not be sacked based on vague and unsubstantiated allegations,” Nash said.
Earlier, Nash made comments on Hanson’s Facebook page, below a video Hanson had posted from the island which carried the hashtags #Mutiny and #GodSaveTheQueen.
“The Australian government is investing $136m into Norfolk Island between 2015 and 2019,” Nash wrote.
“The Australian government had already gifted $27.5m of Australian taxpayers’ money in financial assistance to the Norfolk Island government prior to 2015. The Norfolk Island government asked for assistance and to be included in the Australian tax and welfare systems.
“There has been extensive community consultation on the changes over several years.”
Nash added that $700,000 had been invested in urgent repairs for the island’s health service, and that $1.2m in new medical equipment was also being provided. The government had made $790,000 worth of repairs and upgrades to the school, with $1.3m worth of further upgrades to come.
Pension payments had also doubled since the commonwealth had taken over, she said.
Hardgrave is not currently on the island.
Hanson leaves Norfolk Island on Friday.
