Senator Bob Day’s resignation has come as a shock, despite reports his company was unravelling

NOW what? With Senator Bob Day gone, interested party members will throw their hats in the ring.

With Senator Bob Day’s resignation, wild rumours have already started circulating that the Government is investigating whether they can sneak a Coalition Senator in instead, it’s unlikely.

• Final debt demands lodged against Senator Day’s building company
• Bob Day wins 12th Senate spot for South Australia

NOW what?

Senator Bob Day’s resignation has come as a shock, despite reports his company was unravelling.

If a Senator quits or dies, it creates a “casual vacancy” to be filled by the same party.

Now interested party members will throw their hats in the ring.

Because nothing is ever simple in the Senate, what actually has to happen after that is that the state-based party (in this case, Family First) nominates a replacement to the state Parliament.

So the replacement will actually be decided by a joint sitting (a sitting of both houses) up on North Tce.

While wild rumours have already started circulating that the Government is investigating whether they can sneak a Coalition Senator in instead, it’s unlikely.

The rules are:

“The new senator must be of the same political party or group as the senator he is replacing.”

And in breaking news, the new senator does not have to be a “he.”

In fact, Lucy Gichuhi was the number 2 candidate at the election and may well choose to put her hand up.

The Kenyan-born lawyer was inspired to join Family First because of their home ownership policies.

But a good bet is that another one-time candidate Rikki Lambert will pick up the post.

He is widely admired and better known and has already confirmed he will put his name forward.