The party is on track to pick up three Senate seats, in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia. Former Pauline Hanson adviser John Pasquarelli says the One Nation leader will be a force in the Senate. Credit:Michael Clayton Jones "Turnbull as prime minister has me totally confused, like many other conservatives were," Mr Pasquarelli said. "He opened up the gates for Pauline when he opted for the double dissolution . . . then he threw the gates wide open when he said there was no place for Pauline in Parliament. "I can't believe he said it. As they say in the language of the internet - that went viral, absolutely viral.

"What does it tell ordinary, sensible Australians? She's entitled to have her views." Pauline Hanson with her former adviser John Pasquarelli. Credit:Mike Bowers Mr Pasquarelli split with his controversial boss in the 1990s after advising her to stand for the Senate in 1998, rather than contest the Queensland seat of Blair, which she went on to lose. The pair reconnected earlier this year and have been in regular contact via text message since the election result, which left Mr Turnbull with a tiny majority and an emboldened Senate crossbench. Ms Hanson held a combative press conference days after the election, arguing a royal commission was needed to establish whether Islam was a religion or a political ideology.

She warned of terrorism in local communities and said Australians feared their suburbs had been "swamped by Asians". One Nation policy wants a cessation of Muslim immigration to Australia and a ban on new mosques. Ms Hanson is set to appear on ABC TV's Q&A program on Monday. "People like Barnaby Joyce have the tough brains and the intelligence to understand what the story is with Pauline," Mr Pasquarelli said. "I'm hoping Barnaby will be much more sensible because of the National Party connection."