One Nation party president Pauline Hanson has told the ABC "personal issues" are keeping her lead candidate for South Australia's upper house from speaking publicly.
Veterinarian Sarah Game looks likely to win the final seat in SA parliament's Legislative Council following last month's state election, but has provided very little information about herself or her policies.
She did not appear in the party's campaign material and the ABC only found one photo of her on a different conservative political website.
Senator Hanson told ABC Radio Adelaide's David Bevan that Ms Game needed to maintain a low profile.
"Because of some personal reasons, I'm not going to go into it," she said.
"At this stage, it goes a little bit deep. But, you know, I'm not trying to evade your questions.
Ms Game's profile was removed from the veterinary surgery she works at after the ABC asked to speak to her there.
Senator Hanson said Ms Game had suffered some professional repercussions from her decision to run for the sometimes-controversial conservative political party.
"Her workplace doesn't particularly want the publicity, and has had media cameras around there, which actually … she's been asked not to come into work because of that," she said.
"So let's make sure she's got the seat first. Before it puts more pressure on her private life."
Senator Hanson met with One Nation party members in South Australia during the state's election campaign last month, but she did not meet with Ms Game.
"I wasn't able to meet her when I came to South Australia because she wasn't well," she said.
The ABC's attempts to speak with Ms Game during the campaign were also rebuffed, with her mother, One Nation advisor Jennifer Game, responding on her behalf.
Senator Hanson also provided scant detail about her candidate's political positions.
"Well, I think she's just an ordinary mum that, you know, she's an average Australian," she said.
She said One Nation was concerned with problems in South Australia's health and education systems, rural poverty and the loss of manufacturing capability.
Ms Game's mother Jennifer was initially the party's lead candidate but will instead be contesting the upcoming federal election.
"I want to have Jennifer in the federal (parliament), she's very articulate, she's right across the issues and therefore her ability and expertise and knowledge is best suited federally," Senator Hanson said.
It is expected to take a further two or three weeks before the final makeup of the Legislative Council is confirmed.
The likely election to the state's upper house with a vote of just 4.2 per cent now cast the spotlight on One Nation's chances in the upcoming federal election .
In 2019 it received 4.87 per cent of the Senate vote in South Australia, far below the roughly 15 per cent needed to gain a seat.
But preferences from the large number of conservative minor parties – including the Liberal Democrats and the United Australia Party, could flow to One Nation and give the party a chance.
