One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has boasted about her new private plane and multimillion-dollar donations, taking a shot at the major parties in the process about how many more “regional towns” she will be able to visit and lure to the populist party.

Less than a fortnight out from the Farrer by-election in southwestern NSW, Senator Hanson took to X on Wednesday morning to announce her “sexy” new aircraft, with a special shout-out to her high-profile contributors.

Senator Hanson thanked stockbroker Angus Aitken and his wife Sarah, who donated more than $200,000 last year to conservative outfit Advance Australia, for their “enormous $1 million investment” in the One Nation team.

Former Northern Territory chief minister Adam Giles and Professor Ian Plimer were also praised for their two donations of $500,000. The “tremendous friends of One Nation” currently work for billionaire Gina Rinehart as the chief executive of Hancock Agriculture and executive director of Hancock Energy.

Senator Hanson also lashed back at the heat she had previously received about her trips in Ms Rinehart’s private plane, with the mining magnate proving one of the politician’s biggest backers.

“BREAKING NEWS – I’ve got a new plane, Sarah,” Senator Hanson wrote.

“Yes it was donated. Yes I’m super happy. Yes it’s fast. Yes it’s amazing. Yes it’s going to annoy the Guardian. Yes it means I can visit more regional towns across the country more often.

“Yes it’s a Cirrus G7. Yes it’s sexy. Yes I have a pilot.

“No I won’t be doing welcome to country each (time) we land. No it’s not battery operated.”

Senator Hanson snubbed emissions concerns and the Welcome to Country issue, while sending a warning shot to political rivals that the new aircraft will ramp up One Nation’s campaigning efforts.

The gloating comes less than two weeks before the Farrer by-election on May 9, which will serve as the minor party’s first federal test since its rapid ascension in the polls.

One Nation’s Farrer candidate David Farley is currently placed as a frontrunner alongside local “teal” independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe.

The Liberals and Nationals are desperate to hold onto the seat after the by-election was triggered by the ousting of their former leader, Sussan Ley.

In her statement to X, Senator Hanson said the “faith and investment” in One Nation was an “enormous help towards our next federal campaign”.

“We have a lot of additional fundraising to undertake between now and the cut off in December to combat the uni-party ahead of the 2028 federal election,” she wrote, casting her eyes forward to the next election.

“Keep an eye out for my maiden voyage.”

Senator Hanson’s announcement was accompanied by a slick video unveiling the plane, called “Australis,” at an event held inside an aircraft hanger attended by One Nation members and supporters.

In the video, the party stressed the plane would “not be used for joy rides”.

Based on the figures provided by Senator Hanson, the total amount donated towards the plane would total more than $2 million and would require disclosure by the party.

Aviation sales place the price of Senator Hanson’s Cirrus G7 private plane between $1m to $1.5m with a maximum range of about 1000 nautical miles, a distance easily covered between One Nation’s Brisbane HQ and the Farrer electorate.

Senator Hanson has put the Liberals and Nationals on notice that she is gunning for their seats, particularly in regional areas, after the party overtook the Coalition in the polls this year for the first time.

Read related topics:One NationPauline Hanson