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Culleton claims to be victim of witch-hunt

Rod Culleton claims he is the victim of a "political witch-hunt" after he lost his seat because he was ruled bankrupt.

Dumped senator Rod Culleton has accused Senate president Stephen Parry and others of going on a "political witch-hunt" against him.

The former One Nation member turned independent was stripped of his post this week after a Federal Court judge declared him bankrupt in December.

But Mr Culleton continues to insist he is a senator and on Thursday secured a one-week extension of a stay on insolvency proceedings, claiming Senator Parry "jumped the gun" by disqualifying him.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Culleton condemned the "premature actions of Senator Parry and others" in what he described as a "political witch-hunt".

Mr Culleton's legal representatives have forwarded letters to Senator Parry and others, disputing the action taken to dump him and providing the court orders to confirm reasons for his dispute.

"He will continue to address his electorate duties while he awaits the appropriate responses from correspondence to all parties involved, requesting they remedy their very premature and public actions in obstructing Senator Culleton in the performance of his duties as an elected representative of the people of Western Australia," the statement read.

Meanwhile, it remains unclear who will fill the vacancy, with the Court of Disputed Returns yet to determine whether Mr Culleton was eligible to be a senator as he had been convicted of a larceny charge, which was later annulled, at the time of the federal election.

Depending on the decision, the vacancy will be filled by the second person on the One Nation ticket, Mr Culleton's brother-in-law Peter Georgiou, or the party can nominate a replacement.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said if a casual vacancy were declared, she had already chosen a replacement.

But WA Premier Colin Barnett told reporters on Thursday that he could overturn Senator Hanson's pick if he and his cabinet disagreed with her choice.

Their decision would have to be ratified by state parliament, which would not sit until after the March 11 election.

Senator Hanson responded on Friday, saying it was unconstitutional.

"It wouldn't go down very well if Colin Barnett was to make a decision about who will hold that seat without talking to me," she said.

But Mr Barnett said he was not necessarily planning to go against Senator Hanson.

"In no way am I trying to tell One Nation or Pauline Hanson what they should do and in no way am I trying to impose my views on it or in any way threaten them," he told reporters on Friday.

"I simply wanted to place on the record the process because I don't think it has been well understood."

Mr Barnett said it would be "another twist to this saga" if Mr Culleton became Mr Georgiou's chief of staff.

Mr Culleton is due back in court next Thursday.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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