A Liberal MP Called Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce 'Lying Cowards' — Here's Why
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has called Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce "lying cowards" over a cartoon from One Nation that he says made him out to be a traitor. It is a big call, and it has been building for weeks.
In an interview with News24 on 9 September 2026, Hastie attacked both Hanson and Joyce over an animated video called "Don't be Hastie." Hanson had posted it on social media more than a month earlier and pinned it to the top of her X account. The Guardian
The cartoon shows Hastie asking the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, for help after people call him a traitor online. Hastie says the video called him a traitor eight times. It had been watched more than 145,000 times on YouTube.
Hastie is a former SAS officer who served in Afghanistan twice. He did not pull his punches. He said the "lying cowards" he was targeting had "never, ever served a day in our uniform overseas on operations" and that they "don't get to define Anzac Day, or Anzac, or the values that underpin our defence force."
The fight goes back to a court case. Ben Roberts-Smith, a former soldier who received the Victoria Cross, sued the Nine newspapers for defamation and lost. Hastie gave evidence against Roberts-Smith in that case. On 8 September, Hastie told supporters in a letter that One Nation was trying to unseat him because of that evidence, and he hinted he might take Hanson and her top strategist James Ashby to court. Guardian Australia
Hastie has spoken publicly about threats and abuse aimed at him and his family. He defended his testimony to the Roberts-Smith trial the same day, in remarks reported by Guardian Australia's politics live blog. Guardian Australia
The response from Hanson and Joyce was not exactly consistent. Hanson denied ever calling Hastie a traitor, telling The Nightly: "I will call him a wanker." Joyce told Guardian Australia he had never called Hastie a traitor and had not seen the cartoon. Whether those denials hold up against a post pinned to the top of Hanson's own account is a question that answers itself.
Hastie has been willing to take on One Nation before. A Guardian Australia analysis in August noted he had stood up to Hanson, risked the wrath of mining billionaire Gina Rinehart, and criticised WA opposition tactics. Guardian Australia
The broader picture here is that a senior Liberal is going hard after a minor party and a former Nationals leader at the same time, while flagging possible legal action. In Australian elections, parties can make deals about preferences — that is, where a voter's vote goes if their first choice is eliminated. The Coalition's preference deals with One Nation have been a live issue, and Hastie's attack puts pressure on colleagues who might prefer to keep things quiet. He is also making a point about who gets to use words like "traitor" and "Anzac." He is saying that if you have not served in the military, you do not get to throw those terms around.
Joyce's inclusion is the odder part of the story. He denies knowing about the cartoon and says he has nothing to do with calling Hastie a traitor. If that is true, Hastie's decision to lump Joyce in with Hanson may be harder to justify than going after One Nation itself.
In the Senate, One Nation holds enough seats to matter when votes are close. A Liberal frontbencher openly threatening to sue the party and its top strategist is not a normal political dust-up. Whether Hastie actually follows through on the court action he hinted at will decide whether this stays a media fight or becomes a legal one.
