Tony Abbott says it would be ‘right’ for One Nation to remove cartoon labelling Andrew Hastie a ‘traitor’
News Source
•Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:00:39 GMT
📰 What Happened
Former prime minister Tony Abbott says One Nation should remove a cartoon that calls Liberal MP Andrew Hastie a 'traitor'. He says keeping it up would be a double standard.
One Nation posted the animated video in late July. It shows Hastie as a weak, paranoid leader being used by Anthony Albanese to take on One Nation.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor, independent senator Jacqui Lambie and RSL Australia also condemned the cartoon.
🔍 The Backstory
Abbott compared the cartoon to an ABC program that made offensive jokes about mining billionaire Gina Rinehart. The ABC removed the scene and said sorry.
Hastie is being attacked for giving evidence against war hero Ben Roberts-Smith in his failed defamation case. RSL Australia says calling a veteran a traitor hurts all who served.
One Nation's Barnaby Joyce said he did not think Hastie was a traitor, but refused to take the video down.
🎯 Why It Matters
It shows how harsh political attacks have become. A person's service to the country can be turned against them quickly for political gain.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott says One Nation should remove a cartoon that calls Liberal MP Andrew Hastie a 'traitor'. He says keeping it up would be a double standard.
One Nation posted the animated video in late July. It shows Hastie as a weak, paranoid leader being used by Anthony Albanese to take on One Nation.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor, independent senator Jacqui Lambie and RSL Australia also condemned the cartoon.
Abbott compared the cartoon to an ABC program that made offensive jokes about mining billionaire Gina Rinehart. The ABC removed the scene and said sorry.
Hastie is being attacked for giving evidence against war hero Ben Roberts-Smith in his failed defamation case. RSL Australia says calling a veteran a traitor hurts all who served.
One Nation's Barnaby Joyce said he did not think Hastie was a traitor, but refused to take the video down.
It shows how harsh political attacks have become. A person's service to the country can be turned against them quickly for political gain.