Fact check
“Those former councillors, mayors and deputy mayors claim they went through a “pay-to-play” application process, after which they were rejected.”
Reasoning
The claim matches the wording in the source, which states that these individuals "claim they went through what one called a “pay-to-play” application process, after which they were rejected." This provides direct corroboration of the claim.
On confidence: The Guardian article directly reports that former councillors, mayors and deputy mayors said they underwent a "pay-to-play" application process and were subsequently rejected.
Important context
The statement reflects the individuals' own claims about the process; it does not verify the existence or legality of the alleged pay-to-play scheme, only that the claim was made.
Evidence
Supporting (1)
- Tier 1 — Primary source‘Cash grab’: One Nation demands up to $630,000 from Victorian election candidates | One Nation | The Guardian
councillors, mayors and deputy mayors who expressed an interest in running for the party. They claim they went through what one called a “pay-to-play” application process, after which they were rejected. Those who applied to be considered…
Limitations
The evidence is limited to a single news report; no additional independent verification of the claims or details of the process is provided.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 4:23 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
‘Cash grab’: One Nation demands up to $630,000 from Victorian election candidatesThe Guardian · Sarah Martin Senior correspondent