One Nation's newest senator Fraser Anning has quit Pauline Hanson's party to sit as an independent just minutes before being sworn in.
Senator Anning raised eyebrows when he was escorted into the chamber on Monday morning by Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and Australian Conservative Cory Bernardi, as two of his colleagues Brian Burston and Peter Georgiou sat watching.
An hour later, Senator Hanson released a media statement explaining why her party colleagues weren't in the escort party.
She said former staff to Malcolm Roberts, who was disqualified by the High Court for holding dual citizenship and was replaced by Senator Anning, had made contact with the Queensland-based business consultant several months ago, encouraging him to move to the Australian Conservatives should Mr Roberts lose his seat.
At that time, Senator Anning had been asked to consider standing for the state election in the Queensland seat of Gladstone.
But Senator Hanson says he had dismissed the request on the grounds that he and his wife were moving to the United States to join their two daughters and grandchildren.
The One Nation leader then sought to speak to Senator Anning but could only contact his brother Harry.
"I indicated to Harry Anning at the time, that given the work Malcolm Roberts had achieved ... it would be in the federal party's and Australia's best interest for Malcolm Roberts to be returned to the Senate," she said.
He also issued a media release recently, demanding Senator Hanson pledge her support for him and on Saturday, publicly questioned whether her advisers approved of him.
Senator Hanson refused four of Senator Anning's new staff access to a partyroom meeting on Monday morning because of what she described as their "disloyalty".
Senator Anning then walked out of the meeting.
When Senator Hanson asked senators Burston and Georgiou to mediate with Senator Anning they were told he had decided to become an independent.
