Editing Pauline Hanson (section)

===Rattnergate scandal===
In March 2011, Hanson ran as an independent candidate for the [[New South Wales Legislative Council]] in the [[2011 New South Wales state election|2011 state election]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Nicholls|first=Sean|title=Pauline Hanson running in NSW election|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/pauline-hanson-running-in-nsw-election-20110308-1bmoy.html|access-date=8 March 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=8 March 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311075841/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/pauline-hanson-running-in-nsw-election-20110308-1bmoy.html|archive-date=11 March 2011}}</ref> but was not elected, receiving 2.41 percent of the primary statewide vote but losing on preferences.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hanson fails to win seat in NSW|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hanson-fails-to-win-seat-in-nsw-20110412-1dbuy.html|access-date=12 April 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=12 April 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414125653/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hanson-fails-to-win-seat-in-nsw-20110412-1dbuy.html|archive-date=14 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2011/guide/lc-results.htm|title=Legislative Council Results|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=12 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425162148/http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2011/guide/lc-results.htm|archive-date=25 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Pauline Hanson misses out on NSW seat in distribution of preferences|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/pauline-hanson-misses-out-on-nsw-senate-seat-in-distribution-of-preferences/story-fn59niix-1226037767428|access-date=12 April 2011|newspaper=The Australian|date=12 April 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617211743/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/pauline-hanson-misses-out-on-nsw-senate-seat-in-distribution-of-preferences/story-fn59niix-1226037767428|archive-date=17 June 2013}}</ref> Following the election, Hanson alleged that "dodgy staff" employed by the [[NSW Electoral Commission]] put 1,200 votes for her in a pile of blank ballots, and she claimed that she had a forwarded NSW Electoral Commission internal email as evidence of this.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hanson cries sabotage over 'hidden' votes|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/hanson-cries-sabotage-over-hidden-votes-20110505-1e9hg.html|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920053115/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/hanson-cries-sabotage-over-hidden-votes-20110505-1e9hg.html|archive-date=20 September 2011}}</ref> Hanson then commenced legal proceedings to challenge the outcome of the election in the NSW Supreme Court, which sat as the Court of Disputed Returns.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hanson to challenge NSW vote count|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/hanson-to-challenge-nsw-vote-count-20110504-1e7y5.html|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=4 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325161510/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/hanson-to-challenge-nsw-vote-count-20110504-1e7y5.html|archive-date=25 March 2014}}</ref>

From the start of proceedings, the NSW Electoral Commissioner maintained the view that Hanson's claims lacked substance.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bennett|first=Adam|title=Commissioner backs staff in Hanson row|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/commissioner-backs-staff-in-hanson-row-20110517-1er1h.html|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=17 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325162535/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/commissioner-backs-staff-in-hanson-row-20110517-1er1h.html|archive-date=25 March 2014}}</ref> The man who alerted Hanson to the alleged emails, who identified himself as "Michael Rattner", failed to appear in court on 8 June 2011<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wallace|first=Rick|title=Key witness for Pauline Hanson a no-show|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/key-witness-for-pauline-hanson-a-no-show/story-e6frfkvr-1226071784343|access-date=16 June 2012|publisher=news.com.au|date=8 June 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817075908/http://www.news.com.au/national/key-witness-for-pauline-hanson-a-no-show/story-e6frfkvr-1226071784343|archive-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> "Rattner" was revealed to be Shaun Castle, a history teacher who posed as a journalist to obtain embargoed progressive poll results.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Knott|first=Matthew|title=Rattnergate revelation: Hanson's mole was a fraud|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/06/10/rattnergate-revelation-hansons-mole-was-a-fraud/|access-date=16 June 2012|publisher=crikey.com.au|date=10 June 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016090623/http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/06/10/rattnergate-revelation-hansons-mole-was-a-fraud/|archive-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>

"Michael Rattner" was a pun on [[Mickey Mouse]] and reports linked the pseudonym to an "anti-voter-fraud" organisation led by Amy McGrath and [[Alasdair Webster]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wallace|first=Rick|title=Hanson hoaxer speaks out: and the trail leads to... Mickey Mouse|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/06/23/hanson-hoaxer-speaks-out-and-the-trail-leads-to-mickey-mouse/|access-date=16 June 2012|publisher=crikey.com.au|date=23 June 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016090605/http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/06/23/hanson-hoaxer-speaks-out-and-the-trail-leads-to-mickey-mouse/|archive-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>

After having refused to answer questions on the grounds of self-incrimination, Castle apologised to the court and was granted protection from prosecution by Justice McClellan, before being compelled to answer questions relating to the fraudulent email.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wallace|first=Rick|title=Pauline Hanson fraudster Shaun Castle admits deception|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/hanson-fraudster-admits-deception/story-e6frfkvr-1226075203501|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=14 June 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804035859/http://www.news.com.au/national/hanson-fraudster-admits-deception/story-e6frfkvr-1226075203501|archive-date=4 August 2011}}</ref> The judge ordered that Hanson's legal costs of more than $150,000 be paid by the State of New South Wales – a move which outraged [[Australian Greens|Greens]] MP [[Jeremy Buckingham]], who would have been replaced by Hanson had her challenge been successful. Questioning whether Hanson's legal action should have gone ahead at all given the nature of the evidence, Buckingham said that "This lack of judgement shows that she's unfit for public office."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Godfrey|first=Miles|title=Taxpayers hit for Hanson's failed election challenge|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/taxpayers-hit-for-hansons-failed-election-challenge-20110624-1gjba.html|access-date=16 June 2012|newspaper=Brisbane Times|date=25 June 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022214921/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/taxpayers-hit-for-hansons-failed-election-challenge-20110624-1gjba.html|archive-date=22 October 2012}}</ref> Earlier, the judge, Justice McClellan, said Hanson had no other remedy but to take legal action after receiving the fraudulent email.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pauline Hanson had no choice but to challenge election loss, a judge says |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/pauline-hanson-had-no-choice-but-to-challenge-election-loss-a-judge-says/story-e6frg6nf-1226076372871|access-date=24 April 2016|newspaper=The Australian|date=16 June 2011}}</ref>