One Nation senator Rodney Culleton has been referred to police after a letter he allegedly sent to a Cairns magistrate prompted concerns in judicial ranks of a possible attempt to pervert the course of justice and threaten a judicial officer.

The Queensland attorney general, Yvette D’Ath, referred the matter to police commissioner Ian Stewart on Monday after the state’s chief magistrate, Ray Rinaudo, expressed concern the letter could trigger the offences.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said she had no knowledge of the letter and had called for an urgent meeting with Culleton for him to “explain his position”.

It is alleged that Culleton, using his Senate letterhead, wrote to the Cairns magistrate on 15 November asking him to adjourn the matter of a Herberton man who he said was “threatened with imprisonment”.

The letter referred to a motion he had “foreshadowed” bringing in the Senate “to recall a number of judges for ‘proven misbehaviour’”.

“We are watching with interest the conduct of all judicial officers Australia wide, after discovering the high court has not been conducting its business in the name of the Queen,” the letter said.

“If so this could reflect on all jurisdictions.

“As a safeguard against a possible injustice, could I respectfully ask that you adjourn the matter until the constitutional position of all courts is clarified.”

Because the matter involved the commonwealth director of public prosecutions, Rinaudo wrote to the federal attorney-general, George Brandis, to raise concerns about the possible offences.

D’Ath also wrote to Brandis, saying she was “deeply concerned by the matters raised within Judge Rinaudo’s correspondence, which relate to the integrity of the courts and the administration of justice in Queensland”.

“Could you please let me know what action you or your officers have taken?”

According to a Queensland government source, Brandis replied to both D’Ath and Rinaduo that there was nothing he could do and suggested any concerns about illegal acts be reported to police.

D’Ath in a statement on Tuesday said she had referred the letter to Stewart “for his consideration”.

She said the chief magistrate expressed concern that the contents of the correspondence allegedly from Senator Culleton could amount to an attempt to pervert the course of justice, and threatening a judicial officer.

In a statement Culleton said he “totally rejects any suggestion of threats to any officer of any court, or any attempt to pervert the course of justice”.

Culleton wrote to the magistrate on Tuesday “to clarify and emphasise that there was no disrespect ... to the court, or to judicial procedure”.

Culleton said the initial letter was written “in the interest of justice” on behalf of a distressed individual.