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MELBOURNE - Far-right Australian politician Pauline Hanson's bid for a state parliament seat was thrown into disarray Sunday when newspapers published raunchy photos of the politician sold by an ex-boyfriend.
Hanson, who sparked international outrage with a campaign against Asian immigration in the 1990s, was about 19 when the pictures were taken by former army commando Jack Johnson, News Limited newspapers reported.
The photographs, taken in the 1970s, show the former member of the federal parliament and leader of the One Nation party partially nude and dressed in lingerie.
Johnson said he was digitising his old photographs when a friend saw the Hanson images and suggested they may be worth money.
"Sorry it's come to this, sweetheart -- that's the way it is," Johnson said.
Hanson, who is attempting a political comeback contesting the Gold Coast hinterland seat of Beaudesert in the March 21 Queensland state election, has refused to comment on the photographs.
The former fish and chip shop owner was elected to the lower house of the federal parliament in 1996 and in her maiden speech warned that Australia was in danger of being swamped by Asians.
Hanson's racial views drew international criticism but her One Nation party briefly enjoyed strong support in Australia on issues such as immigration and trade protectionism before she lost her seat in 1998.
She was briefly jailed in 2003 for fraudulently spending electoral funds before the judgement was overturned.
In 2007 she ran for a seat in the federal senate and switched her target from Asians to Islam, calling for an end to immigration by Muslims to protect "Australian culture."
Hanson also complained that African immigrants spread disease. But she was soundly defeated in the election, which she contested on behalf of Pauline's United Australia Party.
- AFP/ir
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