James Ashby also drives new Ford Ranger given to party and is main pilot of plane donated by Gina Rinehart, which he says are not for personal use
Pauline Hanson’s right-hand man, James Ashby, is enjoying benefits as a result of his role working for One Nation, with documents showing that a company linked to the party built a $56,000 shed on his central Queensland property.
Guardian Australia understands that Ashby, formerly Hanson’s chief of staff and now the party’s national director, also drives a new Ford Ranger that was “personally” gifted to One Nation by Hancock Agriculture’s chief executive, Adam Giles, in April. Hanson said the vehicle would help the party’s campaign efforts and “provides us the presence we need in the lead-up to the next federal election”.
Sources say Ashby is earning a lucrative salary in his new high-profile role. He also has regular access to the $2m Cirrus plane gifted to the party by Giles’ employer and Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart.
The aircraft is kept at Rockhampton airport, not far from Ashby’s home, and he is its main pilot.
In a statement to Guardian Australia, Ashby said the car was used “for campaign and branch purposes” while the plane was “not used for personal transportation”.
“I have a privately owned vehicle for personal use,” he said.
A friend of Ashby’s travelled on the plane with him and Hanson on its maiden flight to Albury in May.
Property records show that Ashby bought a “lifestyle property” near Yeppoon in Queensland in 2025. A development application lodged with the shire of Livingstone lists the One Nation-linked company, Small Batch Brewing Pty Ltd, as the purchaser of a $56,706 shed on the land.
Small Batch Brewing is also named as the customer on documentation provided by an independent engineer and included in the council paperwork.
The company – jointly owned by Ashby, Hanson and the party’s national treasurer, Alexander Jones – has been described as a craft-brewing venture but Guardian Australia has confirmed that it does not hold a liquor licence to sell alcohol. It also has no excise licence, which is required to manufacture alcohol products in Australia. A different brewing company, Sunshine and Sons, is listed as the manufacturer of One Nation’s branded liquor line.
Ashby told Guardian Australia that Small Batch Brewing was “currently a non-trading entity”.
“The business will go through the necessary licensing application and approval process when the time is right,” he said.
It is unclear how the company bought a $56,000 shed.
Ashby regularly conducts live television crosses for News24 (formerly Sky News) from the building. Council records show he has received approval to build a house and an in-ground pool on the Yeppoon property.
Australian Securities and Investment Commission records show that Small Batch Brewing’s principal place of business is One Nation’s Brisbane headquarters, on an industrial estate at the airport.
Ashby’s move into the role of the party’s national director preceded speculation that he was clearing the way to run for One Nation at the next election.
In May Hanson asked the Department of Finance for permission to establish a second electorate officein Yeppoon, further fuelling suggestions that Ashby was preparing a tilt at federal parliament.
When asked if he would run at the next election, Ashby told the Guardian: “No.”