A newly appointed One Nation senator continued living and working in Queensland for several months after being selected to represent New South Wales in the federal parliament, according to newly released expense records.
Sean Bell, who filled a Senate vacancy for New South Wales in September 2025, listed his home base as Tivoli in Ipswich during the final quarter of the year and commuted from Brisbane for parliamentary sittings in Canberra.
Parliamentary expense disclosures show Bell claimed $6,600 for chauffeured car services in Brisbane between October and December 2025, covering 30 separate car trips.
The records also indicate he claimed almost $5,000 in airfares for travel between Brisbane and Canberra for himself and family members during the same period.
Bell was selected to replace One Nation senator Warwick Stacey, who vacated the seat last year.
At the time of his appointment, the party said the former adviser to Pauline Hanson was “currently in the process of moving to NSW”.
However the expense data suggests Bell remained based in Queensland for at least the first four months of his Senate term.
The disclosures show Bell spent a total of 14 days in New South Wales during the reporting period, travelling to several regional locations including Albury, Coffs Harbour, Cessnock, Gerringong, Maitland and Tamworth.
He also stayed in Sydney for six nights, claiming a travel allowance of $499 per night.
Property records indicate Bell still owns a home in Tivoli, while his Senate register of interests states he holds residential property in both Queensland and on the New South Wales Central Coast.
Under Australia’s constitution there is no requirement for senators to live in the state they represent, although the issue can carry political significance.
Questions about Bell’s residency have emerged alongside broader scrutiny of One Nation’s use of parliamentary resources.
The party’s leader, Pauline Hanson, has faced criticism over travel expense claims, including nearly $9,000 in taxpayer-funded charter flights to attend an event in Geelong hosted by mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.
One Nation said the charter flight was chosen because it was the cheapest option available without a commercial route between Tamworth and Geelong.
Hanson later travelled on Rinehart’s private jet between Melbourne and Sydney but did not initially disclose the flight in the parliamentary register.
When contacted about Bell’s residency, a party spokesman said that all One Nation senators live in the states they represent but did not clarify when Bell relocated to New South Wales.
