Andrew Hastie vows to go ‘all the way’ in Pauline Hanson fight as Joyce denies ‘buyers’ remorse’ claim

Andrew Hastie has vowed to go “all the way” in his fight with Pauline Hanson, as he suggested One Nation MPs Barnaby Joyce and David Farley were likely feeling buyers’ remorse for joining the party. The Liberal MP and former SAS captain repeated his accusation that Hanson was a “lying coward” on Sunday, after she continued to refuse to take down an animated cartoon that described Hastie as a “traitor”. This came after he was subpoenaed to give evidence during Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation trial.

I’m not backing down,” Hastie told News24 on Sunday. She could have accepted that she’d got it wrong and pulled it down, but she refused to do so, and she has doubled down. Barnaby in text, I will continue.

Consider last week a demonstration. They haven’t seen anything yet. Hastie accepted Joyce’s apology to him over the cartoon video on Friday, who claimed he had not seen it.

But the Liberal MP claimed his colleague, and One Nation MP David Farley, were likely having “buyers’ remorse” over joining the party. I think this is why Barnaby Joyce and I reckon David Farley are probably having buyers’ remorse. They’re thinking, what did I get myself into?” Hastie said.

I feel sorry for the bloke, all right? He left a party that made him deputy prime minister twice, to jump in with this rabble, there’s no principles, they’re all over the shop, and he’s out there every week cleaning up after them.” Joyce told Guardian Australia the assumption was “not correct” and defended his party. Politics is not a beauty pageant nor a reality tv show and we get more and more of that,” Joyce said.

The state seat of Secret Harbour, which One Nation won in a byelection last month, overlaps his federal electorate. He said it was time to “draw a line in the sand” by pushing back against the video. These guys thought I was weak.” But the Liberal frontbencher, who has been touted as a leadership contender, also dismissed an accusation from Hanson that his fight against her was to bolster his leadership prospects.