Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Sign up for Axios Pro Rata
Dive into the world of dealmakers across VC, PE and M&A with Axios Pro Rata. Delivered daily to your inbox by Dan Primack and Kia Kokalitcheva.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Austin news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Austin newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Atlanta news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Atlanta newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Philadelphia news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Philadelphia newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Chicago news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Chicago newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Want a daily digest of the top DC news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios DC newsletter.
One Nation's Pauline Hanson and Steve Dickson criticized Al Jazeera. File photo: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison denounced a right-wing populist party Tuesday after its officials were filmed seeking millions of dollars in U.S. funding in exchange for pushing to ease Australia's strict gun laws.
The details: Al Jazeera's undercover report showed One Nation officials Steve Dickson and James Ashby meeting with U.S. pro-gun representatives. At one point, an NRA rep rejected their request for A$10 million ($7.1 million) in funding — which they said could win them enough seats in Australia’s Senate to influence government decisions. At a press conference Tuesday, Dickson and Ashby blamed alcohol for the incident.
What they're saying: Morrison said at a press conference he found reports that One Nation officials had sought to "sell Australia's gun laws to the highest bidders, to a foreign buyer" abhorrent.
Driving the news: The Al Jazeera documentary comes at a sensitive time for the gun debate in Australasia, after this month's New Zealand terrorist attack. One Nation has long supported easing Australia's gun restrictions, but it says it's always complied with the law.
The other side: One Nation alerted police to Al Jazeera's report, describing the news outlet as a "state-owned propaganda arm of the Qatari government." The political party has been widely criticized for being anti-Muslim. One Nation said in a statement Al Jazeera targeted it "because of its strong approach to reducing immigration numbers and a travel ban on countries with terrorism links," according to 9 News.
- Ashby said the conversations with the NRA were to look at nothing more than the techniques they had used that helped the Trump campaign. "This was about sourcing technology, an understanding of how they operate, but never was it about seeking $20 million from the NRA," he said.
- "I will be the first to admit, we'd arrived in America, we got on the sauce," Ashby said, referring to Australian slang for drinking alcohol. "We'd had a few drinks and that's where those discussions took place — not with any potential donors."
- The one Nation officials also blamed the the undercover Al Jazeera reporter for "skulduggery."
The backdrop: Morrison praised former Prime Minister John Howard for tightening legislation after the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre, which resulted in a ban on fully automatic and semi-automatic weapons in Australia.