A witness reported to Crikey that One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce was seen at the Canberra Casino late on September 9 with Thomas Sewell, the leader of the outlawed National Socialist Network, and other far‑right figures, including influencer Hugo Lennon.
Joyce told News24 he had been at the casino for a social visit with a “good mate” and that a group of men approached him “unbeknownst” to him, sparking his discomfort when they began talking about “Anglo‑Celtic and immigration”. He said he quietly left the table and did not engage further.
He rejected claims that he deliberately met with the neo‑Nazi group, stating, “My family fought against the fascists, I don’t want anything to do with them at all,” and emphasizing that the encounter was not organised.
Sewell later confirmed he “bumped into Joyce” after a two‑day High Court hearing, describing a private conversation that lasted about thirty minutes, but declined to disclose its content, saying it should not be used for political opportunism.
The High Court case concerns Sewell’s challenge to the federal government’s extremism crackdown that outlawed the National Socialist Network, arguing that the ban infringes an implied right to political freedom and gives the government excessive power.
On the day after the casino meeting, Sewell posted a video from outside the High Court saying his group, now rebranded as “White Australia”, would support One Nation in forming government, and claimed the ban was an attack on democratic expression.
Far‑right influencer Hugo Lennon, also present at the casino, later confronted Speaker of the House Milton Dick outside parliament about the neo‑Nazi ban, prompting a brief exchange in which Dick reminded Lennon of his right to be heard in a democracy.
The episode adds to growing scrutiny of One Nation’s links to extremist elements as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s post‑Bondi crackdown on hate groups faces legal challenges that could reshape Australia’s approach to far‑right organisations.