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OMG Culleton story now taken a new twist...
Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton declared bankrupt
Federal court finds senator for Western Australia bankrupt, which effectively disqualifies him from sitting in parliament
23 December 2016
Senator Rodney Culleton has been declared bankrupt at a hearing in the federal court in Perth.
Culleton, who was elected as part of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation before quitting the party this week, was found bankrupt following action taken by a creditor.
Under Section 44 of the Australian constitution, a person is not allowed to continue as a member of federal parliament if he or she is an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent.
“You’ve just executed me … before I bleed to death,” Culleton was heard to say to the judge after the decision. “You have just given my estate away.”
The WA district court had ordered Senator Culleton to pay former Wesfarmers director Dick Lester $205,536 in 2013, which has since increased to $280,000, over unpaid rent relating to a $13.2m property acquisition deal in 2009 that went sour.
Culleton was granted a 21-day stay on the bankruptcy order, in which time he can appeal to the full bench of the federal court.
Senator Culleton’s Senate seat was already under a cloud because of a separate legal matter being heard in the high court over his eligibility to contest the July 2 election following a larceny conviction, which was later annulled.
Senator Culleton quit One Nation on Sunday and Senator Hanson said she was pleased to see him go describing him as a pain in her backside.
Hanson said it was time for Culleton to step down from the Senate.
He insists he wants to remain in the Senate as an independent but One Nation is keen to retain his seat.
If his election is found invalid in the high court, he could be potentially replaced by his brother-in-law Peter Georgiou, who was number two on the One Nation senate ticket in WA.
