Warrant issued for former One Nation senator Rod Culleton’s arrest

A former One Nation senator has been embroiled in election controversy, with a warrant issued for his arrest.

A warrant has been issued for a former One Nation senator’s arrest, and he is facing chargesfor allegedly providing false information during this year’s federal election.

Rod Culleton’s nomination for the West Australian Senate was flagged by the Australian Electoral Commission back in April and referred to federal police.

They allege the 58-year-old made a fraudulent claim as part of his Senate nomination.

Mr Culleton allegedly falsely declared his financial circumstances and did not disclose he was an undischarged bankrupt on his forms.

A person cannot be elected as or sit as an Australian senator or member of the House of Representatives if they are an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent.

Former One Nation senator Rodney Culleton allegedly did not disclose he was an undischarged bankrupt on his federal election nomination forms.

Mr Culleton was charged by the Australian Federal Police with giving information to a commonwealth entity, namely the AEC, knowing that the information was false.

The maximum penalty for the offence is 12 months in prison if found guilty.

He was expected to face Perth Magistrates Court last Friday but never appeared. The magistrate subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest.

In a 17-minute Facebook livestream on the day after his scheduled court appearance, Mr Culleton said “the game is underway”.

“First of all, this happened yesterday in Magistrates Court in Perth in Western Australia. I’m currently in NSW, but hey didn’t seem to worry them,” he claimed on Saturday.

“They just decided to say well ‘we sent it to your last known address and that service so we’re now going to execute a warrant’.

“So the ball has been bounced and the game is underway.

“I am in a fight with the Australian Electoral Commission, supposedly.”

Rod Culleton said he would call on witnesses if needed. Picture: Great Australia Party / Facebook

The charges and court appearance notice Mr Culleton was sent. Picture: Great Australia Party / Facebook

“This is only over an allegation … you’re not guilty,” Mr Culleton said.

Mr Culleton was elected as a One Nation senator in Western Australia in 2016.

He resigned from the party to be independent before the end of that year, citing a lack of support and “public rants” against him from One Nation founder and leader senator Pauline Hanson.

BREAKING: pic.twitter.com/PTl1QHWm7G

— Rod Culleton - Former Senator (@RodneyNCulleton) December 18, 2016

He was disqualified from serving in the Senate just a couple of months later after being declared bankrupt by the Federal Court.

Mr Culleton said he would be calling Senator Hanson and “quite a few members” of the 45th parliament (the one he was elected to in 2016) as witnesses if the matter went to trial.

Mr Culleton with his then party leader senator Pauline Hanson. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Senator Hanson told Sunrise following Mr Culleton’s resignation in 2016 that he had been a “pain in my backside” and she was “glad to see the back of him”.

Operation Wilmot Taskforce, which was established in March to investigate electoral-related crime, has formally assessed 82 complaints and referrals.

Thirty-nine of these matters were accepted for investigation and 12 remain ongoing.