A series of heated text messages between One Nation national director James Ashby and veteran journalist Andrew Clennell has surfaced, including an apparent remark from Pauline Hanson describing the News24 political editor as a “dickhead”.
The exchange followed Clennell’s criticism of One Nation’s controversial cartoons, which are periodically published on the party’s YouTube channel, Please Explain.
Clennell described some of the videos as “unhelpful” after the attack on Helen Haines. Several cartoons feature slapstick violence, including politicians stabbing one another and buses mowing down pedestrians.
The messages, seen by the Sydney Morning Herald’s On Background column, show Ashby contacting Clennell early on Monday. He wrote that “after your weekend comments suggesting the cartoons incite violence, the boss (Hanson) thinks you’re a dick… she’s not interested in talking to you at the moment.”
“Are you taking the vids down?” Clennell replied, adding: “they’ve literally got buses running over people”.
He went on to clarify that he had “never said ‘incited violence’… I just said ‘not helpful’”.
Ashby responded sharply: “Keep running the Labor Dirt Unit rubbish, Andrew.”
Clennell then said he would tell viewers that Hanson had withdrawn following the backlash over the cartoon. Ashby, however, continued the confrontation.
Texts exchanged between James Ashby and Andrew Clennell on early Monday morning
James Ashby (left) alongside Hanson and party official Steve Dickson
Andrew Clennell is on the outer with One Nation after he critiqued the’ Please Explain’ cartoon series
“Make sure you add the part where she thinks you’re a dickhead. That’ll help the audience understand why,” Ashby wrote.
Clennell replied: “You might be able to intimidate other journos but you’re not doing it to me, champ. Just try me.”
Ashby then wrote: “Easier if we don’t have anything to do with each other from this point forward, Andrew.”
“That’ll work well for you in politics,” Clennell replied.
The text exchange first became public on Monday, when Clennell read portions of the messages during his Politics Now program.
Later that evening, Ashby appeared on News24 broadcaster Peta Credlin’s program Credlin. He stood by Hanson’s comments and added that he also believed Clennell was a “dickhead”.
CHECK THIS OUT: Sam Wood and Snezana ‘to Separate’ as Bail Court Hears Drug Claims
“That’s what I said, and I think the same thing,” Ashby said, claiming he had received supportive messages “from people even within the News24 room”.
“So, I’m sorry Andrew, but some people do think you’re a dick, and I’m not afraid to call it out at times.”
Credlin berated her colleague on air in an extraordinary episode of her regular program ‘Credlin’ on Tuesday night
On Tuesday, Clennell appeared on Credlin for a regular round-up of political news. However, he derailed the agenda by pivoting away from the opening question, which concerned Greens senator Fatima Payman, and instead launched into a pre-prepared statement about Ashby.
‘This bloke Ashby came on your show last night, and he defamed me, and multiple people have asked why you didn’t back me up,’ Clennell said.
‘I appreciate (Credlin’s) apology last night after the show, things happen quick on live TV.
‘I’ve stood up to Prime Ministers and there’s no way that I’m being stood over by James Ashby… If I don’t talk about this people are gonna go, “Why isn’t he talking about this?”‘
In an extraordinary piece of television, Credlin cut Clennell off, scolding him for ‘hijacking’ the agenda.
She pointed to the name of her show at the bottom of the screen, saying: ‘Have a look down there, Andrew, the show’s called Credlin, right?
‘I will decide what we discuss on the show and the order in which we discuss it,’ she continued, while Clennell sat silently with folded arms.
‘I said to you last night and I said to you today, we would put it in the rundown.’
Credlin has been a mainstay at News24 since 2017
‘We’ve got a whole lot of issues that I want to talk about first – what’s impacting real people in the parliament today.’
She added that due to the constant communications in her ear monitors from producers, she simply missed Ashby’s slight at Clennell, and she would have challenged the assertions if she had heard him properly.
‘I call a spade a spade, I’m straight up and down,’ she said.
‘You’re not gonna hijack my show at the top when I said I would get to this.’