Look who’s turned up at the banking royal commission
Agri lending has put a royal commission road trip on the agenda, as a special guest turns up at the latest bank inquiry hearings.
Occupying a front-row seat in the commission’s latest round of hearings on business lending this morning is none other than anti-bank campaigner and former One Nation senator Rod “Senator in exile” Culleton.
This column has always marvelled at Culleton’s contribution to public life.
When he first confronted the High Court challenge that led to his eviction from the big house, Culleton memorably remarked that constitutional law was “right up my veggie patch”.
Sadly, Culleton failed to bend a century or more of constitutional law to his liking.
The court found in February last year he was ineligible to stand for the Senate at the time of his election, because he had been convicted and was subject to be sentenced for an offence that carried a year or more imprisonment.
The charge related to a 2014 dispute with a tow truck driver who had arrived to repossess property from Mr Culleton’s property, resulting in the loss of what Mr Culleton referred to as “a $7.50 key”.
Follow banking royal commission developments on The Australian’s live blog
Hopefully, royal commissioner Ken Hayne stays nice, because Culleton’s fury has no respect for judicial rank.
Representing himself in an appearance before a Perth magistrate last September, the ex-Senator was bundled out of court by a policeman after he threw his eyeglasses in the magistrate’s direction.
He later apologised and was allowed back in.
Late last week, the word on the street was that the royal commission was already turning its attention to the next round of hearings.
The speculation was that agri lending was under consideration for its own separate probe, having been carved out of business lending.
Sure enough, this has now been confirmed by senior counsel assisting Michael Hodge.
It’s further suggested that agri lending could result in the royal commission’s first road trip, possibly to Queensland.
Email: gluyasr@theaustralian.com.au
Twitter: @Gluyasr
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Never in its brief history has the financial services royal commission been in such esteemed company!