Culleton accepts he's no longer a senator

Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton could attempt a political comeback, his spokeswoman says, and has finally accepted being booted out of parliament.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson

Rod Culleton's replacement will be a "significant senator upgrade", says Pauline Hanson. (AAP)

Rod Culleton has finally accepted he's no longer a Senator but may try to return to politics after he was deemed ineligible to have run for parliament.

Senate president Stephen Parry ejected Mr Culleton as a senator after the Federal Court declared him bankrupt in December, but he insisted his honorific should not revert to Mr and didn't vacate his office.

On Friday, however, the High Court ruled him ineligible to have been elected in the first place because of a conviction, despite it later being annulled.

The second blow came when he lost his appeal over the bankruptcy declaration, which was brought on by former Wesfarmers director Dick Lester, who Mr Culleton owes $280,000.

Mr Culleton's chief of staff Margaret Menzel said his downfall had been "orchestrated" by his enemies, including farmer Bruce Bell, who filed the petition with the Court of Disputed Returns that led to his ousting from the Senate.

"All the same people, strangely, have been involved," Ms Menzel told reporters.

"I don't think there's any doubt that Senator Culleton was targeted during his term - no question."

She said he now accepted he'd lost his Senate seat, which would likely go to his brother-in-law Peter Georgiou.

"The decision of the court was what he said all along was what he was waiting for," she said.

Mr Georgiou, an electrical contractor, was number two on the One Nation ticket for last year's Senate election in WA.

The 52,548 votes received by the party in the state are set to flow to him but he personally received only 158 votes.

The Australian Electoral Commission is awaiting a High Court decision on the timing and method of a special count before he can be declared the new senator and sworn in.

Acting Senate Clerk Richard Pye told AAP the entire process could be completed within a week.

Ms Menzel said Mr Culleton would help with handing over his office to Mr Georgiou and smiled when asked if he planned to return to politics, saying that was up to him and the electorate.

"You'll just have to wait and see," she said.

"I don't think by any stretch of the imagination this is the last of Rodney Culleton.

"I guess he'll write a book."

Pauline Hanson was happy with the replacement, saying Mr Georgiou was a "significant senator upgrade" and would be an asset to the Senate.

She said he was "not a career politician" but had "real world experience and real world insight".

Senator Hanson previously suggested Mr Georgiou may be ineligible because he "may be a guarantor" for the now officially bankrupt Mr Culleton, which he and his wife Lona denied at the time.

The 76-seat Senate will return on Tuesday with two empty seats - that of Mr Culleton and former Family First senator Bob Day, who is also facing a High Court challenge to his eligibility.

The government will need an extra eight votes on top of its 30 to get its legislation through the upper house.


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Source: AAP



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