Bumped Jim Molan pulls out of Q&A

Senator quits TV appearance, saying he “can’t bring myself to defend my party” after being denied a safe senate spot.

Liberal Senator Jim Molan has been given an unwinnable spot on the NSW Liberal senate ticket.

Senator Jim Molan has reportedly pulled out of a scheduled appearance on the ABC’s Q&A program, after being denied a safe senate spot at the next federal election.

Senator Molan was unexpectedly dropped to third position on the NSW Liberal senate ticket on Saturday, behind long-time political aspirant Hollie Hughes and Andrew Bragg.

In a tweet, the ABC today confirmed Senator Molan had pulled out of Monday’s Q&A panel saying he “would find it hard to defend my party”.

Following his demotion to an unwinnable spot on the coalition senate ticket Liberal Senator Jim Molan has withdrawn from Monday’s #QandA “I cannot bring myself to defend my party at the moment.”

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) November 25, 2018

In a text exchange before confirming his cancellation, Senator Molan reportedly told the ABC on Saturday night: “Just to make you aware. I cannot bring myself to defend my party at the moment.”

Senator Molan, a retired army general, was chosen in December last year as a replacement for Nationals MP Fiona Nash after she fell foul of the Australian citizenship crises in 2017.

Although he placed third in the preselection ballot, he will in fact be bumped to fourth under a Coalition deal that gives the Nationals the third senate position.

Mr Bragg pulled out of the Liberal preselection race for Wentworth after striking a deal with the party for a senate spot.

- with AAP