Pauline Hanson has found herself in hot water again after it was revealed her latest candidate to hit the campaign trail owns a sex shop with a disturbing Facebook page.
Candidate for Thuringowa, Mark Thornton, told reporters in Townsville on Friday he owned a flooring business, but was caught off guard when 7 News asked about the sex store he owned as well.
Cupids Cabin, an adult shop in Aitkenvale, is managed by Thornton’s wife, he claimed.
Mark Thornton (pictured) owns a sex shop with a disturbing Facebook page which appears to glorify the objectification of women
A Facebook post reading: ‘Good sex should be in the gray [sic] area between tickle fight and domestic violence’, which was uploaded to the page in January last year, was not run past the aspiring MP.
‘I haven’t seen that one mate but it probably comes back to your 50 Shades of Grey type,’ he said of the post.
‘They’re out there.’
A surprised Senator Hanson stepped in and requested she be told the name of the site, before insisting she was unaware her candidate had any connections with it.
Pauline Hanson (right) stepped in and requested she be told the name of the site, before insisting she was unaware her candidate had any connections with it
‘Can you tell me what site it’s from and what’s it in relation to?,’ she asked a reporter, adding, ‘I’ve never heard of it.’
Other posts to the page include an image of a woman giving oral sex to a man while he drives, with a caption reading: ‘At least he’s not texting, because that would be distracting and dangerous’.
The business’ Facebook page is littered with other crude memes and images of women in sexualised positions and with sleazy captions.
Attempting to diffuse the situation, Senator Hanson burst in to suffer the brunt of the questioning herself.
One post from the shop’s now deleted Facebook page shows the shop appearing to portray domestic violence in a positive light (pictured)
As reporters began to ask her questions, she continued to claim not to have known about Thornton’s business.
‘It’s the first time I’ve been made aware of it,’ Senator Hanson said.
‘I need to actually have a look at this and I will actually be talking to Mark about it and to (deputy state leader) Sam Cox and (state leader) Steve Dickson.’
Thornton told reporters he was also not aware of a post from September 6 this year stating ‘I’m selling bra’s inbox a pic of your titties so I could see if I got your size’ (sic).
‘That could been from a staff member, I haven’t actually seen the site for quite a while,’ he said.
‘It’s my business but I don’t manage it. ‘It’s a retail shop.’
Thornton is the owner of the adult store but claimed its management was in the hands of his partner, and the crude Facebook posts were likely made by other staff members
Forcing Thornton away from the centre of the media conference, Senator Hanson refused to say whether she was comfortable with her candidate’s ties to the business.
‘Until I have a further look at it you are not going to pressure me to make a decision here into what I’m gonna do about the candidate because it’s not going to happen,’ she said.
National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.