Braddon Nationals candidate Sally Milbourne and her celebrity chef husband Ben have stood by their comments on One Nation, despite the fact the Nationals have struck a controversial preference deal with the far-right party.
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The Tasmanian Nationals announced on Thursday that they would be preferencing One Nation above all other parties except the Liberals on their how-to-vote cards for the federal election.
Tasmanian Nationals Senator Steve Martin told ABC Radio on Friday that the Nationals' policies were "similar" to One Nation's.
Ms Milbourne, a Devonport City councillor, was recently endorsed as the Nationals' candidate for Braddon. She has appeared to distance herself from the agreement between the Nationals and One Nation.
But Tasmanian Labor Senator Anne Urquhart called on Ms Milbourne to go one step further and refuse to hand out the Nationals' "tainted" how-to-vote cards.
"Sally Milbourne has declared that she fundamentally disagrees with ... [this] preference deal, so how can she credibly run for the Nationals?" she said.
In response to Senator Urquhart, Ms Milbourne said the agreement was "something the party has decided".
"All I can do is play the hand I've been given and stand up in Braddon and say I don't support One Nation's politics and I won't be supportive of them when I get in," she said. "I don't want to get involved in party political games."
Ms Milbourne pointed out that Braddon had been an electorate in which preferences had gotten candidates over the line before.
All I can do is play the hand I've been given and stand up in Braddon and say I don't support One Nation's politics and I won't be supportive of them when I get in.
- Sally Milbourne
"Hopefully that can change this time and people are looking for ... someone who ... [does not] have to toe a party line," she said.
About two weeks before she got the call from the Nationals asking if she'd stand for them, Ms Milbourne's husband, Ben, made his feelings about One Nation known online, labelling the party "evil" and "disgraceful".
It was in response to a March 29 Instagram post from Tasmanian Greens Senator Nick McKim, calling for people to donate to a One Nation "fighting fund". Mr Milbourne replied saying he'd be "helping out for sure".
He said he didn't regret what he'd said. He did note, however, that he'd "probably take back the word 'evil'".
"I'm friends with Nick and, at that point, Sal hadn't even got the call from the Nationals asking her if she'd stand as a candidate," Mr Milbourne said.
Mr Milbourne would not confirm if he'd made a cash donation to Senator McKim's so-called fighting fund, adding that it was "something I'll leave between Nick and myself".
Rob Inglis
Rob Inglis is a reporter with The Examiner, covering state and federal politics. He is based in Hobart.
Rob Inglis is a reporter with The Examiner, covering state and federal politics. He is based in Hobart.
