Pauline Hanson‘s political party has rehired a convicted sex offender to help run its campaign for the upcoming federal election.
Sean Black, who was a former One Nation adviser, was sentenced to five years jail in 2018 for raping and assaulting his former wife.
Black was convicted for raping his ex-wife Tanya in a bathroom in 2007, pushing her down the stairs and crushing her hand in a door.
When handing down his sentence, the Queensland judge said Black showed no remorse for his crimes.
Black has since been rehired by the party and appointed as a ‘campaign director’ at One Nation’s Brisbane headquarters, where he handles applications from potential candidates for the upcoming election, the ABC reported.
Party sources told the outlet that Black was vetting, interviewing, relaying endorsements to candidates and providing training and advice on campaigning.
Black’s new position for the One Nation party has also made him a key strategist for Senator Malcom Roberts’ re-election bid.
Senator Roberts had previously employed Black as a media adviser before he was jailed.
One Nation has rehired Sean Black as a ‘campaign director’ despite serving jail time for the rape and assault of his former wife
The appointment marks the second time the One Nation party has rehired Black following his conviction.
Black remained as Senator Roberts’ adviser for another five months after he was charged with rape.
His sentence was suspended to two years and three months and was then rehired shortly after his release from jail in 2020.
However, One Nation fired him within months after the party faced a slew of internal complaints.
By mid-2023, Black was working at the party’s headquarters again in the role of ‘campaign assistant/ campaign operations,’ emails seen by the ABC showed.
The emails revealed Black was then promoted late last year to the role of ‘campaign director’.
‘He’s a big time adviser for the campaign,’ a party source told the publication.
‘He’s in charge of giving advice on how to campaign, what type of events to attend, using social media, and he’s in charge of vetting candidates.
This marks the second time the One Nation party has rehired Black following his conviction (pictured, One National leader Pauline Hanson)
‘His judgement of character is very important to the party and he runs the candidate training.’
District Court Judge Glen Cash said Black had ‘effectively rehabilitated himself’ and posed a low risk of reoffending.
However, during sentencing, Judge Cash claimed Black was willing to use violence to dominate his relationship and had shown ‘no remorse’ for his crime.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted One Nation for comment.
