Take away Albo’s ‘problematic’ power to allocate MPs more staff — he’s incapable of using it properly

Anthony Albanese faces mounting pressure to relinquish his unilateral authority to determine federal parliamentary staffing levels, following a controversial offer to provide an additional staffer to One Nation member David Farley. The Prime Minister’s decision has drawn sharp criticism from within the minor party itself, with leader Pauline Hanson accusing the government of attempting to exert undue political influence through the use of taxpayer funds. While the administration argues the move addresses the size of Farley’s electorate, opponents contend the timing and selective nature of the allocation reveal a broader pattern of unfairness in how support resources are distributed among non-government members. The controversy centers on Farley, who represents the division of Farrer in southwestern New South Wales. He became the sole lower house crossbencher without an allocated advisor after winning the seat in a by-election held in May. Granting him a second staff member would have placed him on equal footing with other independent representatives such as Nicolette Boele, Dai Le, Elizabeth Watson Brown, and Barnaby Joyce, each of whom currently holds one advisor. However, the timing of the offer has raised eyebrows among political observers. Labor frontbencher Pat Conroy noted that allocating extra staff to members of large electorates is not unusual practice. Yet critics question why this adjustment occurred months after Farley’s election rather than immediately upon his arrival in Parliament. Pauline Hanson issued a blistering statement on social media on Thursday, alleging that the Prime Minister has been meeting privately with Farley in recent weeks. She claimed senior ministers had also approached the member regarding grant funding for the Murray Darling Basin, discussions which Farley did not initiate. Hanson stated that the offer was designed to buy favor from a politician whose relationship with One Nation has reportedly broken down. Farley himself rejected the initial offer, citing the unresolved staffing disputes affecting his party colleagues, though he did not definitively rule out joining the Labor Party during an interview on News24 late Thursday night. The dispute highlights a wider imbalance in parliamentary staffing allocations. One Nation’s longstanding requests for additional support, reflecting its status as a minor party, remain unanswered. Similarly, Senator Fatima Payman, who defected from Labor, believes she is being penalized for leaving the governing party. Payman argued that it is hypocritical for a historically pro worker party to expect some offices to operate with fewer resources. When asked about Payman’s situation, Albanese responded that she currently has the same number of staff as when she was elected, plus one additional staffer granted to all senators. This explanation failed to satisfy critics who point to inconsistent standards across the chamber. Disparities in staffing levels extend beyond the House of Representatives. In the Senate, crossbenchers typically receive two advisors each, yet Senators Fatima Payman and Tyrone Whitten are the only ones without even one. Conversely, Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie holds three advisors. Furthermore, the Liberal Party and the Greens average 1.5 advisors per representative, whereas One Nation averages only 0.8. These figures suggest that the distribution of resources does not strictly correlate with electoral footprint or workload. For instance, some inner city members hold two advisors, while Barnaby Joyce, representing the vast region of New England, retains only one. Catherine Williams, director of the Centre for Public Integrity, told Nine that the government urgently needs to explain the rationale behind current staffing determinations. She dismissed the argument that Farrer is simply a large electorate, noting that the numerical inconsistencies render that justification insufficient. Both major parties and the Greens appear content with the current system as long as it benefits their respective positions. All three groups recently voted against a motion calling for an inquiry into the Prime Minister’s power to unilaterally set these levels. One Nation Senator Sean Bell stated that the Prime Minister should not be determining staffing levels for other parties. Hanson maintained that Farley is not a defection risk, asserting that he brought the offer to her attention personally. She confirmed speaking with him the previous day and reiterated that he remains a committed One Nation member. Despite this assurance, the incident has intensified scrutiny over executive control over parliamentary resources. The debate continues as the government defends its administrative decisions while opposition voices demand transparency and equitable treatment across the political spectrum.