Pauline Hanson Daughter: Lee Hanson Age, Election & Staff Role
Few political families generate as much curiosity as the Hansons. Pauline Hanson’s daughter Lee has stepped into the spotlight as both a candidate and a taxpayer-funded staffer, raising questions about political dynasties and public money.
Lee Hanson age: 41 (as of 2025) ·
Senate election result (Tasmania 2025): Unsuccessful ·
Salary in staff role: Up to $180,000 ·
Employer (senior adviser role): NSW One Nation Senator Sean Bell ·
Mother: Pauline Hanson, leader of One Nation
Quick snapshot
- Lee Hanson is the daughter of Pauline Hanson (InDaily)
- She ran as a One Nation Senate candidate in Tasmania in 2025 (One Nation official website)
- She was employed as a senior adviser to Senator Sean Bell (Guardian Australia)
- Exact nature and extent of Lee Hanson’s health issues (news.com.au)
- Whether she will run for office again in the near future (news.com.au)
- Details of her educational background or earlier career before politics (news.com.au)
- Exact terms of her employment contract, including location of work (news.com.au)
- April 2025: Announces Senate candidacy on Sunrise (InDaily)
- May 2025: Defeated in election; vows return (ABC News)
- February 2026: Revealed as senior adviser (Guardian Australia)
- Lee Hanson has vowed to return to politics
- Her taxpayer-funded role continues under scrutiny
- One Nation’s Tasmanian Senate strategy may shift
The table below summarises seven key facts about Lee Hanson from verified sources.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lee Hanson (One Nation official website) |
| Relation | Daughter of Pauline Hanson (InDaily) |
| Age (2025) | 41 (One Nation official website) |
| Political party | One Nation |
| Senate candidacy (2025) | Tasmania, unsuccessful |
| Job (2026) | Senior adviser to Senator Sean Bell (Guardian Australia) |
| Salary | Up to $180,000 (Guardian Australia) |
What is the name of Pauline Hanson’s daughter?
Full name and background
- Pauline Hanson’s daughter is named Lee Hanson (InDaily, a South Australian news outlet).
- Before entering politics, she worked as an HR executive (ABC News).
- She moved to Tasmania approximately 13 years ago, around 2012 (One Nation official website, the party’s own profile).
Relation to Pauline Hanson
Lee Hanson is the adult daughter of Pauline Hanson, the founder and leader of the One Nation party. Her mother has been a prominent figure in Australian politics since the late 1990s, making Lee’s own political ambitions a subject of public interest. The mother-daughter tie has been a consistent theme in coverage of Lee Hanson’s campaign (ABC News, Australia’s national public broadcaster).
Lee Hanson is not merely a relative introduced to politics—she had a professional career before running, positioning her as a candidate with pre-existing credentials, though her party affiliation and family name dominate the narrative.
How old is Lee Hanson?
Date of birth details
- According to One Nation’s official candidate profile, Lee Hanson is 41 years old as of the 2025 election (One Nation official website).
- This would place her birth year around 1983 or 1984.
Age at time of 2025 election
At 41, she is older than some initial media reports suggested; earlier speculation had placed her age at 29. The One Nation profile is the most authoritative source available on her age. The discrepancy has not been publicly addressed by Lee Hanson or the party (One Nation official website).
Age figures into voter perception of candidate experience. A 41-year-old candidate with a prior HR career brings different assumptions—and accountability—than a younger political novice might.
Did Lee Hanson run for Senate in 2025?
Announcement and campaign
- Lee Hanson announced her Senate candidacy on Channel Seven’s Sunrise program in April 2025 (ABC News).
- She ran as a One Nation candidate for the Senate in Tasmania, seeking to win the party’s first Senate spot in the state (InDaily).
- Her campaign specifically targeted the seat held by the Jacqui Lambie Network, citing Lambie’s voting record with Labor and the Greens (One Nation official website).
Outcome of the election
Lee Hanson did not win a Senate seat. Tasmania had six Senate seats up for re-election in 2025; before the poll, Labor and the Liberals held two seats each, the Jacqui Lambie Network held one, and the Greens held one (ABC News). One Nation’s attempt to break into that lineup fell short.
Despite the loss, the candidacy gave Lee Hanson and One Nation significant media exposure in Tasmania, a state where the party has historically struggled to win seats.
What was the result of Lee Hanson’s Senate election?
Vote tally and position
- Lee Hanson lost the election. She did not achieve the quota needed to claim a Senate seat (ABC News).
- Her mother Pauline Hanson expressed optimism on May 3, 2025, telling Sky News Australia: “I’m very upbeat about Lee hopefully winning the seat” (Sky News Australia, a 24-hour cable news channel).
Post-election statements
After the defeat, Lee Hanson vowed to return to politics. She stated: “I’m not done. I’ll be back.” (ABC News).
The vow to return places Lee Hanson in the role of a persistent candidate — a pattern common in Australian minor-party politics where multiple runs are often necessary before a win.
Is Lee Hanson employed in a taxpayer-funded job?
Role as senior adviser to Senator Sean Bell
- In February 2026, Guardian Australia revealed that Lee Hanson was employed as a senior adviser to NSW One Nation Senator Sean Bell (Guardian Australia, an independent news organization).
- The role is part of the parliamentary staffing system, paid from the public purse.
Salary details and controversy
- The senior adviser role pays up to $180,000 annually (Guardian Australia).
- The arrangement has drawn criticism over nepotism, as Lee Hanson is employed in a party where her mother is the leader (news.com.au, a major Australian news aggregator).
- Pauline Hanson defended the hire, saying her daughter was qualified for the role (news.com.au).
For One Nation, the arrangement provides a trusted family member in a key staff role. For the taxpayer and critics, it raises the question of whether public funds are being used to support a political family’s internal operations.
What health issues does Pauline Hanson’s daughter have?
Public statements about health
- Lee Hanson has spoken publicly about facing health challenges, though specific details remain limited (news.com.au).
- No official medical documentation or detailed statements from Lee Hanson or her mother have been published.
Impact on political career
The health issues have not prevented Lee Hanson from running for office or taking up a full-time staff role. However, the lack of clarity has led to speculation on social media and in some commentary pieces. Without further public statements, the subject remains a gap in the public record (news.com.au).
Health is a personal matter, but for a political candidate, it becomes a public-interest issue — especially when voters are asked to trust a person’s ability to serve. The absence of information leaves room for both empathy and skepticism.
“I’m not done. I’ll be back.”
— Lee Hanson, speaking to ABC News after her 2025 Senate defeat
“I’m very upbeat about Lee hopefully winning the seat.”
— Pauline Hanson, speaking to Sky News Australia on May 3, 2025
For the latest AFL news and Collingwood injury updates, check out $Collingwood injury updates.
“Lee Hanson is an HR executive who moved to Tasmania 13 years ago. She will be a strong voice for Tasmanians.”
— One Nation official candidate profile
“The revelation of Lee Hanson’s taxpayer-funded senior adviser role raises questions about the use of public money within political families.”
— Guardian Australia, February 2026 exclusive report
Timeline of key events
Three defining moments trace Lee Hanson’s public trajectory from candidate to staffer.
| Date or period | Event |
|---|---|
| April 2025 | Lee Hanson announces Senate candidacy in Tasmania for One Nation (InDaily) |
| May 2025 | Lee Hanson loses Senate election; vows political comeback (ABC News) |
| February 2026 | Guardian reveals Lee Hanson employed as senior adviser to Senator Sean Bell at taxpayer expense (Guardian Australia) |
For broader context on the 2025 federal election, see 2025 Federal Election overview.
The pattern: a single electoral defeat, followed by a taxpayer-funded position within the party machine — a sequence that turns a losing candidate into a paid staffer.
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- Lee Hanson is the daughter of Pauline Hanson. (InDaily)
- She ran for Senate in Tasmania in 2025 and lost. (ABC News)
- She was employed as a senior adviser to Senator Sean Bell in a taxpayer-funded role. (Guardian Australia)
- The role paid up to $180,000 per year. (Guardian Australia)
What’s unclear
- Exact nature and extent of health issues (public statements limited).
- Whether she will run for office again in the near future.
- Details of her educational background or earlier career before politics.
- Exact terms of her employment contract, including location of work.
Related reading: 2025 Federal Election: Canada & Australia Dates, Results
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Lee Hanson win the Senate election?
No, Lee Hanson did not win a Senate seat in the 2025 Tasmanian election. She lost and has vowed to return to politics.
What job does Lee Hanson hold?
She is a senior adviser to NSW One Nation Senator Sean Bell, in a taxpayer-funded role that pays up to $180,000 per year.
Does Lee Hanson have health issues?
Lee Hanson has spoken about health challenges, but specific details remain limited in public reports.
How many children does Pauline Hanson have?
Pauline Hanson has two children: a son and a daughter (Lee Hanson).
Who is Pauline Hanson’s husband?
Pauline Hanson was married to Mark Hanson from 1980 until their separation; they later divorced. She had a previous relationship with David Smith, but she has been unmarried for many years.
Will Lee Hanson run for office again?
Lee Hanson has stated she will return to politics, but has not announced a specific campaign or election date.
For the Hansons and One Nation, the question is no longer whether Lee can win an election, but whether the use of public money to employ a party leader’s daughter will become a political liability — one that could cost the party more than a Senate seat.
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