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Shifting senators confirm new allegiances

Senators Fraser Anning and Lucy Gichuhi have confirmed their moves to become an independent and a Liberal respectively.

An overview of the Senate chamber
Fraser Anning and Lucy Gichuhi have confirmed their switch in political allegiance in the Senate. (AAP)

Former One Nation senator Fraser Anning has confirmed his defection to sit as an independent, while Lucy Gichuhi has moved to the government benches in the upper house.

Senator Anning filled the vacancy left by former Queensland MP Malcolm Roberts after he fell victim to the citizenship fiasco, but sensationally split with Pauline Hanson's party when he was sworn in last year.

South Australian Senator Gichuhi, who was formerly an independent, confirmed her decision to join the Liberals on Saturday.

The duo announced their shifting allegiances to the Senate on Monday.

Senator Gichuhi's move, along with Monday's swearing-in of retired major-general Jim Molan, restores the government's numbers to 30 in the upper house.

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Meanwhile, Labor senator Sam Dastyari's resignation following a scandal over his links to a Chinese political donor was confirmed.

His replacement, former NSW premier Kristina Keneally, will have to be endorsed by a joint sitting of state parliament before she can be sworn in.

Both houses of the NSW parliament are not scheduled to sit until next Monday.


1 min read

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Source: AAP



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