NSW taxpayers are facing a bill of more than $150,000 for Pauline Hanson’s failed legal challenge to the March state election result.

NSW Supreme Court judge Justice Peter McClellan ruled today that the crown would pick up the entire tab for the challenge, which arose out of an email hoax.

He also formally dismissed Ms Hanson’s case.

The former One Nation leader launched the challenge after she narrowly missed out on a seat in the NSW upper house but later recieved an email alleging that 1200 of her votes had been wrongly put in a pile of blank ballots.

Greens upper house MP Jeremy Buckingham and Nationals upper house MP Sarah Mitchell (nee Johnston) risked losing their seats if Ms Hanson’s challenge had succeeded.

Mr Buckingham said outside the court today that Ms Hanson had displayed an appalling lack of judgment by bringing the case.

"It’s going to cost the NSW taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars," he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/taxpayers-to-cover-pauline-hansons-court-costs-20110624-1gi7z.html#ixzz1Q9Qtv2SR

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