A late-night budget estimates hearing descended into chaos after Pauline Hanson and the Greens’ Scott Ludlam clashed over the ABC’s coverage of One Nation.

Senator Hanson used the hearing on Wednesday night to grill ABC management about the way the broadcaster had reported on the minor party’s recent string of controversies.

“You might like to explain to me why One Nation was targeted in the Four Corners interview and also on the 7.30 report just recently,” the One Nation leader said.

Before ABC management could respond, Greens Senator Scott Ludlam chimed in.

“Because it looked like you broke the law. Because you seem to have broken the law,” he said.

A frustrated Senator Hanson said: “Excuse me, I’m asking questions.”

But Senator Ludlam was not finished, adding: “It’s not targeting, it’s journalism.”

The testy exchange comes as the Australian Electoral Commission reveals it has launched a formal investigation into the ownership of a plane used by One Nation,

It formed part of a testy exchange between the two senators and committee hearing chairperson Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds.

“You either speak up and say that I broke the law otherwise you … I want a retraction from you, I have not broken the law,” Senator Hanson told Senator Ludlam.

Another senator is heard quietly responding: “Well, that’s a matter of investigation.”

Watch the clash below

https://twitter.com/dobes/status/867340574742913024

Senator Hanson’s questioning of ABC management followed a report on 7.30 on Monday in which former One Nation candidates criticised the party’s electoral activities.

Earlier in the day, One Nation had been rocked by a leaked tape that revealed top adviser James Ashby allegedly suggested fleecing the taxpayer and the party’s own candidates for the cost of election materials.

Those allegations were referred to the Australian Federal Police by Labor’s Murray Watt later that day.

Appearing at Wednesday’s estimates hearing, Senator Hanson used the opportunity to slam the ABC for its coverage, saying that the “public opinion of the ABC” was poor.

“A lot of people are saying it’s very biased in your reporting,” she told Ms Guthrie.

But Ms Guthrie said independent surveys had showed more than 80 per cent of Australians trusted the broadcaster’s news coverage.

“That is not borne out by both the independent and the other objective surveys that have been conducted,” she said.

ABC head of editorial policies Alan Sunderland added: “We don’t divide the world up into left wing and right wing and give them 50 per cent each of our time.”

“That’s not the way to do good programming and good journalism.”

Senator Hanson has faced criticism for missing a number of estimates hearings – meaning her appearances this week have been widely scrutinised.

Earlier in the week, the One Nation leader raised eyebrows when she questioned why cattle was “alive” when it was slaughtered.

She appeared unaware that cattle that had been stunned prior to slaughter were not dead.

Also on Wednesday, Sean Black, a staffer to One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts, was charged with assault offences in Brisbane.