A One Nation senator has been kicked off live radio and told to sort out his policy position after failing to answer simple questions around the minor party’s views on foreign ownership of residential property.
Senator Sean Bell was labelled a “train wreck” after back-to-back interviews on Sky News and radio station 2GB on Friday.
The first-term senator and party whip had claimed it was “perfectly reasonable” for Australian homes to be quarantined for Aussie citizens only but wouldn’t explain what One Nation proposed if people permanent residents refused to give up their properties.
“What we’re saying… is… it’s perfectly reasonable to expect that homes in Australia go to Australian citizens,” Senator Bell told 2GB host Mark Levy.
“We believe that people need to be given the opportunity to divest. And here’s the thing, Mark, temporary residents are not here to reside permanently in Australia.
“It’s very simple.”
Senator Bell, however, stumbled when pressed by Levy on what that policy would mean for people who are already residing in homes.
Levy had repeatedly asked whether it meant permanent residents should offload the homes or face being kicked out.
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“I don’t want to move on. I think we need to make this abundantly clear, because I’m still confused. What happens after two years if they do not divest that property? Do you kick them out of the house?,” Levy asked.
After Senator Bell evaded his questions, Levy eventually told him to get off air.
“Sean, come back to me when you’ve actually got an answer,” he said.
“This is turning into a train wreck, mate.
“You can’t come on the radio and say we’re going to give people two years to divest their property, and then not answer the question.
“Go back and get an answer, and come back to me.”
It came after fellow One Nation member Barnaby Joyce was caught short on Sky News’ program The Bolt Report on Thursday night.
Host Andrew Bolt pressed him for details of the party’s call to outlaw foreign ownership of housing in Australia after Mr Joyce insisted permanent residents would barred from holding residential property.
Mr Joyce’s answer was for aspiring home owners to just “become an Australian citizen”.
“Become an Australian citizen and that’s going to deal with the issue isn’t it,” Mr Joyce said.
However, Mr Joyce hit the phones shortly after the TV appearance before deciding to return to the studio to re-record his answer to the question.
He said “on further investigation and discussions with One Nation” the party were “not going to be kicking permanent residents out of their house”.
One Nation’s Pauline Hanson on Friday issued a series of statements to declare her party was unapologetic on its hard line stance over foreign ownership.
“One Nation makes no apologies for prioritising Australians first,” she posted to X on Thursday.
“If you are a temporary visa holder or a foreign citizen residing overseas, One Nation will give you two years to sell their property to an Australian.
“One Nation would remove the ability for international students, non-permanent residents, and non-Australian citizens from buying future property within Australia.”
Anthony Albanese expressed concern over “populism and opportunism without answers” on Thursday afternoon while speaking at the annual Australia’s Economic Outlook hosted by Sky News.
His remarks — just hours after One Nation’s housing policy had begun to unravel — were made during a live Q&A when asked about a drift to populism.
“I tell you what’s not ideal, it’s to see the rise of populism, whether of the right or the left, populism and opportunism without answers,” Mr Albanese said.
“Whether it be One Nation and the increasing blurring of the lines between the Liberal Party and One Nation.”
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