Member for New England Barnaby Joyce has backed One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in defending the employment of a convicted rapist, after public pressure resulted in a party staffer being fired – and not for the first time.
The controversy centres on party campaign strategist Sean Black, who was sentenced to five years in prison in 2018 after being convicted of raping and assaulting his former wife, including incidents where he attacked her while she was holding their infant son. At the time he was an adviser to One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts, who kept him on staff for five months after he was charged.
In sentencing, Judge Glen Cash said Black had used violence to dominate the relationship, describing conduct that included raping his wife in a bathroom, pushing her down stairs and crushing her hand in a door.
“The victim of the offences was not only your wife but the mother of your children,” Judge Cash said.
“No man has any excuse to treat a woman in this way, as if she is your property for you to control as you see fit.”
Despite the conviction of a violent crime that would rule him ineligible for many jobs, Black has been hired and fired by One Nation multiple times since his release from prison. He was hired in 2020, shortly after his release from prison, to work in the Brisbane office, but was fired after internal complaints. He was then rehired again, working in party headquarters in mid-2023 and later promoted to campaign director.
In February 2025, ABC reported his return to high office in the party, saying a One Nation spokesman said Senator Hanson was “aware of the circumstances around Mr Black’s conviction”.
Black was responsible for vetting and assessing candidates, including approving others with domestic violence and sexual assault backgrounds to appear on the ballot. It is not clear to what extent Black is responsible for the problematic domestic violence position of the party, which has seen Hanson claim women lie about violence, advocate for mens rights, and call for a significant watering down of domestic violence offences by breaking it into three categories – Domestic Harassment, Domestic Threat & Domestic Violence.
Ms Hanson confirmed on Sunday on Sky News that Black had again been dismissed, saying “he’s gone, finished”, while defending his previous employment.
“This man was convicted and I don’t condone this sort of behaviour whatsoever and what happened,” she said.
“He’s worked there for three years, he’s done a great job and done it very well. But this is political.”
Appearing on Sky News on Monday, Mr Joyce argued the backlash ignored the principle that offenders who have served their time should be allowed to rebuild their lives.
“I think it’s demeaning, and also it shows that obviously you believe that if a person goes to jail, they’re in jail forever. There’s no sense of redemption, there’s no sense of turning a corner.”
In an awkward moment, he said that the issue of rehabilitation was important “particularly for Pauline, who has been in jail herself”.
Ms Hanson has lashed out at critics, including Liberal Senator James Paterson and and LNP MP Garth Hamilton, accusing them of engaging in “gutter politics” for raising concerns about Black’s employment.
“They’re in fear of the rise of One Nation, so let’s get in the gutter. I don’t play those games,” she said.
Mr Hamilton had written to Senate President Sue Lines and House Speaker Milton Dick raising concerns about Black potentially being present in Parliament House.
“I have women employed in my office who regularly attend parliament,” Mr Hamilton wrote.
“I often have my children, including my teenage daughter, accompany me, and there are a large number of women and vulnerable people working in the building at any given time. I am concerned for their safety.”
Senator Paterson also criticised the decision to employ Black, saying it undermined One Nation’s credibility on law and order and domestic violence.
“They have a pretence of being a serious political party, and they are employing a convicted rapist to work for them,” he said.
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