Andrew Hastie, a member of Australia’s Liberal Party, has threatened legal action against Pauline Hanson, the founder of the One Nation party, and James Ashby, a strategist for the party, over allegations that he is a traitor to Australia. Hastie claims his critics are undermining the rule of law and have targeted him unfairly. The dispute centers on Hastie’s role in providing evidence against Ben Roberts-Smith, a former soldier and Victoria Cross recipient, during a failed defamation case against the media company Nine. Roberts-Smith is currently facing charges related to alleged war crimes from his service in Afghanistan, while One Nation and its billionaire supporter, Gina Rinehart, argue he is being unfairly prosecuted. In an email to supporters, Hastie said he would not tolerate further slander from One Nation. He emphasized that he had followed the law by complying with a subpoena and giving evidence under oath, despite being called a "rat" and "traitor" by his critics. He claimed that people he trusted had distanced themselves from him or failed to support him during the ordeal. Hastie also defended his military service as a captain in the SAS, criticizing One Nation for not supporting efforts to uphold high standards of conduct for Australian soldiers in combat. Hastie accused critics who had never served in the Australian Defence Force of attacking his service record and loyalty to the country. He noted that he had deployed twice to Afghanistan, risking his life and leaving his family behind, and called it ironic that he was labeled a traitor by One Nation. He warned that if Hanson and Ashby wanted to continue their attacks, he would make it a costly endeavor in terms of time, money, and political influence. Hastie has also spoken publicly about facing threats and abuse, prompting the federal government to increase security around his home and office earlier this year. One Nation recently won a state byelection in Western Australia’s Secret Harbour, which overlaps with Hastie’s federal electorate of Canning. The party has signaled a strong campaign in Canning ahead of the next federal election in 2028. Hastie is seen as a potential rival to Liberal opposition leader Angus Taylor, though he did not run against Taylor in a recent leadership contest. With an upcoming reshuffle of the opposition frontbench, Hastie could gain more prominence, especially with the impending retirement of shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam. Meanwhile, Taylor criticized One Nation for being "unfit to govern" and raised concerns about the party’s Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, following allegations about his past drug use. Pickering has denied the claims, and Hanson has expressed confidence in his leadership.