Culture

Turns Out One Nation Only Got Tickets To Trump’s Inauguration After Begging For Them

Bit despo.

by Tom Clift  19 January 2017

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Remember how earlier this week Pauline Hanson was being all smug about how One Nation scored an invite to Trump’s inauguration? Well it turns out – and I know I shouldn’t be surprised by this – that wasn’t quite what happened.

Not the bit about One Nation getting tickets. They definitely did get them. But only after they begged, and begged, and begged.

Hanson tweeted on Monday that she had been “gifted” the tickets, which were subsequently revealed to have come from the office of Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger.

However when BuzzFeed approached the congressman for comment, a spokesperson revealed that the tickets had been requested by the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. “We have given the tickets to the embassy to use as they wish,” the spokesperson said. “The Congressman does not endorse any political party in Australia.”

Hmmm…the plot thickens.

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Shortly afterwards, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the ABC that the Australian embassy put out the request for tickets after being pestered, repeatedly, by One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts. “Following multiple requests from Senator Roberts, the embassy in Washington asked a number of Congressional offices if they had any spare tickets available,” they said.

Roberts had previously gloated about how he and Hanson had received an invitation while Malcolm Turnbull had not. I guess the Prime Minister needs to practice his groveling. Just kidding, he’s already great at it, just ask the backbench.

After being found out, Senator Roberts decried the BuzzFeed report as “#fakenews” and tweeted that he never said they were “invited” but rather that they “received” an invitation, which is actually completely different and everyone should just back off.

Despite their toadying, neither Hanson nor Roberts will actually attend the inauguration, but will instead send Senator Brian Burston. Maybe if he’s especially obsequious The Donald will pose for a selfie with him.