One Nation senator Rod Culleton faces High Court as party rift grows
ONE Nation Senator Rod Culleton has claimed that no matter what happens with his High Court hearing over his eligibility for the Senate, he has already won.
ONE Nation Senator Rod Culleton has declared that no matter what happens with the High Court he has already won.
The case was adjourned today after several hours with the Court of Disputed Returns reserving a decision for another day.
The WA senator is faced his first hearing today over whether he was eligible to be elected to the Senate in July.
Senator Culleton said the last two weeks had been exhausting but he would continue his work in the Upper House until there was a verdict.
He was not discouraged by the day’s proceedings.
“At the end of the day it’s in the hand of the court,” he said.
“I’ve already won.
“I’ve come to the Parliament, I’ve simply delivered my message in relation to the judiciary system. “If this doesn’t lead by example what does.
“How can a little pocket key come right up to the High Court?”
Senator Culleton’s barrister Peter King told media not to read too much into justices responses to his arguments today.
Earlier, Senator Culleton thanked Bob Katter for his support but distanced himself from a One Nation supporter who dramatically disrupted his High Court hearing today.
When asked about John Wilson, the supporter who disrupted the hearing this morning, yelling the highest court in the land was a “Kangaroo Court”, Senator Culleton said “that was an outburst that was not required in court”.
Mr Wilson is a former dentist from Sydney who was onced jailed for contempt of court after throwing two paint bombs at a judge.
Australian Party leader Bob Katter was present in court today to support the embattled WA Senator but his One Nation colleagues were conspicuously absent.
“I think it’s very decent of Bob to have turned up,” Culleton said.
He said media should ask his colleagues why they weren’t present.
“I’m just concentrating on today,” he said.
Mr Katter backed Culleton in his fight to stay in the Upper House, saying others had a vested interest in referring his case to the High Court.
“Senator Culleton is a person who stands up for his constituency, not a party game player,” Katter said.
“That is to the downfall of his political career, although it is exactly what the people of Australia want and need.
“We country boys were brought up to praise the lord, love our mum, but most of all stand by our mates.
“There is not a single person in the senate that hasn’t sold him out because if there is a vacancy the ALP have a very good chance of picking it up and the Liberals have a very good chance of picking up the vacancy, and Pauline Hanson will have a little puppy dog senator on a leash as she thinks she can pick up that spot too.
“So they all have a vested interest in throwing him out of the window.”
The senator confirmed he hasn’t spoken to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson directly in some time as tensions in the party bubble over.
He refused to confirm whether he would leave One Nation when asked about the growing rift ahead of the hearing today but did admit communication with his party leader had broken down.
“I haven’t spoken to Pauline Hanson in some time,” Senator Culleton told reporters in Canberra this morning before entering the court.
“I said to her, to be fair, I need to concentrate on this and run it the most economical way possible.”
It comes after Senator Hanson yesterday declared she couldn’t work or reason with Senator Culleton.
In a scathing interview with 2GB radio, the One Nation leader said: “I wish he would just rein himself in and actually become a team player as the other two senators (Malcolm Roberts and
Brian Burston).”
The High Court will examine whether Senator Culleton was eligible to be elected this year when it sits as the Court of Disputed Returns today.
In November, the Senate took the unprecedented action of referring him and former senator Bob Day to determine whether they were elected in breach of the constitution.
Senator Culleton’s referral stems from a larceny conviction against him which stood at the time of the July 2 election but was later annulled.
Under the constitution, any person who has been convicted of an offence punishable by a jail sentence of a year or longer is incapable of being chosen as a senator.
The senator later pleaded guilty to the charge but no conviction was recorded.
Submissions filed to the court last week on behalf of Senator Culleton argue there is no case to answer, insisting the commonwealth should pay his legal costs.
He argues there’s been no disability under the constitution because Senator Culleton had not been sentenced, and was not subject to a term of imprisonment, even once he pleaded guilty.
The embattled senator hit back at his party leader after her stinging comments yesterday, releasing a statement to express his disappointment at the lack of support from his party leader and colleagues. “I would have thought it reasonable to expect some measure of support or at the very least, some discretion and respect from the party leader and my party colleagues,” he said.
“I’m still waiting for any indication of either. That’s disappointing.”
Tensions between the pair have been simmering for weeks, with Culleton voting against the party on crucial bills and publicly arguing with his party leader.
A One Nation supporter was thrown out of the court after dramatically interrupting proceedings this morning. Sydney man John Wilson was reportedly escorted from the chamber as he
yelled that it was a “kangaroo court”.
The court was adjourned, then locked down for proceedings to continue.
Barrister Peter King is arguing Senator Culleton should be allowed to remain in the Upper House as the conviction against him at the time of the election was later annulled.
Senator Culleton’s barrister has a history with the Liberal Party. Mr King previously held the federal seat of Wentworth before he was challenged for the seat by now Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2003.
After being ousted by Turnbull, Mr King stood for the seat as an independent.
He was banned from the Liberal Party for a decade for standing against a preselected member and only rejoined the party last year.
Five justices are hearing Culleton’s matter.
His case has been adjourned until Friday.
He will return to Perth where his mother was taken to hospital last night.
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