Career
Ettridge was One Nation"s professional fundraiser and administered and marketed the One Nation party. Leading a small team he helped to set up 350 branches throughout Australia and admitted 18,000 members to the party. On 20 August 2003, a jury from the District Court of Queensland convicted Hanson and Ettridge of electoral fraud and the Chief Judge sentenced both to three years without parole for fraudulently registering the One Nation Party.
A police report which advised the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions that no offence had been committed was never revealed by the Crown and DPP. However, on 6 November 2003, the Queensland Court of Appeal quashed both convictions and Ettridge and Hanson were released from jail.
In 2004, Ettridge published a book regarding the fraud conviction and acquittal. Following an extensive Queensland Fraud Squad investigation, the Queensland Police advised the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions that no offence had been committed.
Some accused the DPP of succumbing to political pressure in charging Hanson and Ettridge.No independent investigation of the officials accused of involvement was undertaken.