Hanson freed after appeal

In the latest episode of a rollercoaster career, Australia's right-wing firebrand Pauline Hanson was released from jail yesterday after a court quashed her conviction for electoral fraud.

A tearful Ms Hanson left Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre after 11 weeks behind bars. "I said the truth will set us free," she said, hugging David Ettridge, co-founder of the anti-immigrant One Nation party, whose conviction was also overturned. Mr Ettridge and Ms Hanson were sentenced to three years in jail in August after being found guilty of fraudulently registering One Nation in 1997 by passing off 500 supporters as paid-up party members. She was also convicted of falsely claiming A$500,000 (£211,000) in electoral funds. But the Queensland Court of Appeal upheld their appeal, saying the 500 had been bona fide members.

Ms Hanson, who lost her parliamentary seat in 1998, said re-entering politics was "the furthest thing from my mind".