A company run by Pauline Hanson’s chief of staff has been fined and convicted for failing to provide information on time about the use of a plane by One Nation.

James Ashby appeared in Maroochydore magistrates court on Thursday where he admitted Black Bull Qld had failed to comply with the Australian Electoral Commission’s request.

The business copped a conviction and $1,000 fine but no charges have been brought against Ashby over the incident.

Ashby said he wished the matter could have been resolved out of court but overall he was pleased with the outcome.

“The magistrate had the opportunity to issue a $10,000 fine,” he said. “I think he could see there was always an attempt by myself personally and by the company to do the right thing by the Australian Electoral Commission and that was to provide the information.”

The AEC disclosure request related to Ashby’s use of the plane.

Ashby denied the failure to comply was part of a “sinister hiding of moneys” and rather a technical breach.

“Unfortunately they were a day late because my solicitor was interstate,” he said.

It was not clear which information the AEC had requested.

A Jabiru aircraft was bought and registered to Ashby in June 2015, two months after the Victorian property developer Bill McNee allegedly discussed the idea with him and Hanson.

The AEC register was updated in March for 2015/16 to declare, under the heading “James Ashby”, 243 flight hours in the Jabiru aircraft at a price of $125 an hour, not including fuel costs.

McNee’s Vicland group also lodged an update for 2015/16 that disclosed an amount of $98,175, which AEC chief legal officer Paul Pirani described as “approximately the cost of the Jabiru aircraft”.