Pauline Hanson's One Nation has hired a convicted rapist to run its federal election campaign.
Sean Black, who according to a Queensland judge showed no remorse for his crimes when he was jailed in 2018, is now working as the party's "campaign director" at its Brisbane headquarters.
Black has been handling applications from prospective candidates from around the country for the upcoming federal election, emails seen by the ABC show.
Party sources said he was involved in interviewing, vetting and relaying endorsements to candidates, and giving them training and advice on how to campaign.
It also makes him a key strategist in the re-election bid by Queensland senator Malcolm Roberts, who employed Black as a media adviser before the latter went to jail.
It is the second time One Nation has quietly rehired the convicted sex offender after letting him go in the wake of criticism inside and outside the party.
Sexual violence prevention advocates condemned the decision, saying Black was not fit to hold the role.
A One Nation spokesman said Senator Hanson was "aware of the circumstances around Mr Black's conviction".
"One Nation is entirely focused on taking sensible policies and quality candidates to the 2025 federal election, rather than staffing arrangements in the national office," he said.
Queensland senator Malcolm Roberts kept Black on as an adviser for five months after the latter was charged with rape in 2017.
The following year Black was sentenced to five years' jail for the 2007 rape and assault of his then wife, who waived her legal right to anonymity at the time to speak to the ABC.
In sentencing, District Court Judge Glen Cash said Black had used violence to dominate their relationship, assaulting her while she held their infant son in her arms, and dragging her by the hair from a shower to rape her.
"That night … you told her it wasn't rape, because she was your wife," Judge Cash said.
The judge said Black had "effectively rehabilitated himself" and posed a low risk of reoffending but also noted he showed no remorse, which was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Shortly after Black's release from jail in 2020, One Nation rehired him to work in its Brisbane headquarters.
The party reportedly sacked him within months after internal complaints.
"Sean Black no longer works for One Nation," a spokesman said in February 2021.
Emails seen by the ABC show Black was back working at party headquarters by mid-2023 as a "campaign assistant / campaign operations".
The emails show Black was then promoted to "campaign director", a role that party sources say he was appointed to late last year.
"He's a bigtime adviser for the campaign," one source said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak.
"He's in charge of giving advice on how to campaign, what type of events to attend, using social media, and he's in charge of vetting candidates.
"His judgement of character is very important to the party and he runs the candidate training."
Black and Malcolm Roberts did not respond to calls and messages from the ABC.
The Queensland Sexual Assault Network condemned the appointment.
Its executive officer Angela Lynch said the community "expects our leaders to uphold the highest ethical standards and to support efforts to end all forms of violence against women, including sexual violence".
"Rape is a serious sexual offence that has major and lifelong impacts on victim/survivors across all their life domains, including on their physical and mental health, education, employment, family and relationships," she said.
"In 2025, a convicted rapist with a history of serious assault and domestic and family violence is not a fit and proper person to hold a leadership position in Australia."
The ABC sought comment from the offices of both the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton. It also approached Labor and Coalition senators who either declined to comment or did not respond.
Senator Larissa Waters, the Greens senate leader and spokesperson on women, said One Nation's decision to "not only rehire... but promote" Black reflected a "poor regard for women".
This was in the wake of the Jenkins review into federal parliament's culture finding sexual harassment and abuse was widespread.
"People will be horrified that after the so-called reckoning on the treatment and safety of women in parliament, One Nation has a convicted rapist running their campaign and liaising with candidates," Senator Waters said.
