Arabic version: رسائل حزب أمة واحدة تكشف توترات مع فارلي

According to The Guardian, One Nation general manager Kelvin Morton described David Farley as an “asshole” days before Farley won the Farrer byelection for the party in May. The reported text messages followed a Sydney Morning Herald article about disagreement among senior party figures over Farley’s previously undeclared support for Labor.

In the messages seen by Guardian Australia, Morton called the article “Shit stirring” and said the party needed to improve candidate selection. He wrote that Farley’s allegiance to One Nation could make it difficult for him to leave after the election, saying he would appear “like a completely untrustworthy snake” if he changed sides.

A One Nation spokesperson said Farley was “a dedicated One Nation MP” and that Morton’s comments did not represent the party’s view. The spokesperson also said: “The only untrustworthy snake is the person who leaked the text messages.” The report said tensions between Farley and other One Nation MPs and staff had been high since his election, including after he said the party’s migration policy was not dissimilar to the Labor government’s.

Morton was appointed general manager in February and said at the time that he had been brought in to help create a “professional, scalable, and legally robust organisation” capable of winning the next general election. He said he was introducing a new vetting process and was in the role when Farley was preselected. Morton was also recently appointed to the party’s national executive, replacing former treasurer Alex Jones.

Documents seen by the Guardian also detail Morton’s dispute with One Nation’s Lilley branch in Brisbane. He suspended branch coordinator Mark McGuire after a clash over promotional materials, later advising the branch that the federal executive was intervening and removing its committee of volunteers. Morton demanded the transfer of $12,000 raised at a fundraising dinner, while McGuire said the money had already been paid automatically to central office through ticket purchases. A party spokesperson said One Nation did not comment on internal disciplinary actions and said branch donations were managed through a microsite, with funds quarantined for local campaigns.