This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/01/bob-day-resigns-senate-effective-immediately

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Bob Day resigns from the Senate, effective immediately Bob Day resigns from the Senate, effective immediately
(about 1 hour later)
Family First senator Bob Day has tendered his resignation to the president of the Senate, citing the withdrawal of a potential investor in his embattled housing companies.Family First senator Bob Day has tendered his resignation to the president of the Senate, citing the withdrawal of a potential investor in his embattled housing companies.
In a statement on Tuesday Day said he had resigned “effective immediately”. In a statement on Tuesday Day said he had resigned “effective immediately”, in a move that will leave Family First unrepresented in the Senate for at least a week.
Day first announced his intention to resign on 17 October but then suggested he might stay on until November to swing support behind his preferred replacement, Rikki Lambert, or to vote on the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill and other legislation himself.Day first announced his intention to resign on 17 October but then suggested he might stay on until November to swing support behind his preferred replacement, Rikki Lambert, or to vote on the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill and other legislation himself.
Day then suggested he could remain permanently if an investor was found to bail out his companies, which owe a total of $37.8m and have been placed into liquidation.Day then suggested he could remain permanently if an investor was found to bail out his companies, which owe a total of $37.8m and have been placed into liquidation.
But on Tuesday Day said: “While a number of offers for various parts of the Home Australia business have been received, the major investor who has been examining the group’s portfolio of assets over the past fortnight, has decided not to proceed.But on Tuesday Day said: “While a number of offers for various parts of the Home Australia business have been received, the major investor who has been examining the group’s portfolio of assets over the past fortnight, has decided not to proceed.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a senator for South Australia and I am sorry it has ended this way.“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a senator for South Australia and I am sorry it has ended this way.
“I will now devote my time and energy to assisting those who have been affected by the company’s closure.”“I will now devote my time and energy to assisting those who have been affected by the company’s closure.”
Lambert, Day’s former chief of staff, confirmed on Tuesday he was a candidate for the vacant Senate position.Lambert, Day’s former chief of staff, confirmed on Tuesday he was a candidate for the vacant Senate position.
Asked whether Day’s resignation indicated he was likely to be named to fill the vacancy, Lambert declined to comment.Asked whether Day’s resignation indicated he was likely to be named to fill the vacancy, Lambert declined to comment.
“I am not making public comment on the preselection process at this time,” he said.“I am not making public comment on the preselection process at this time,” he said.
Day consistently voted with the Coalition on most divisions. He had planned to support the government again on its industrial relations bills and the same-sex marriage plebiscite enabling legislation in the November sittings. Day consistently voted with the Coalition on most divisions. He had planned to support the government again on its industrial relations bills and the legislation enabling the same-sex marriage plebiscite in the November sittings.
Lambert is also a supporter of the ABCC and registered organisations bills.Lambert is also a supporter of the ABCC and registered organisations bills.
Before the resignation Labor had criticised the Coalition for its apparent intention to accept Day’s vote if he stayed on in the Senate, despite Day having described his own position as “untenable”. Before Day’s resignation Labor had criticised the Coalition for its apparent intention to accept Day’s vote if he stayed on in the Senate, despite Day having described his own position as “untenable”.
On Tuesday Bill Shorten said he was more worried about families and contractors “ripped off by his companies” than about Day’s future:On Tuesday Bill Shorten said he was more worried about families and contractors “ripped off by his companies” than about Day’s future:
Not as worried about Bob Day's future as I am about the hundreds of families and contractors who've been ripped off by his companies.Not as worried about Bob Day's future as I am about the hundreds of families and contractors who've been ripped off by his companies.
According to a spokeswoman for the Family First South Australian chairman and state upper house member, Dennis Hood, nominations for the vacancy will go to the state executive for a vote. In a statement, Family First South Australian chairman and state upper house member Dennis Hood thanked Day for his “substantial contribution” to the party.
The selected candidate will then be approved by the federal executive and a joint sitting of South Australia’s parliament. But in a press conference in Adelaide, Hood said he was “disappointed” at the time it had taken Day to resign, and it “had not been handled well”.
A joint sitting requires at least seven days’ notice, meaning a new senator won’t be in place for the start the week of 7 November when federal parliament returns. He said Family First’s state executive would convene as soon as possible to pick a replacement. The replacement must then be approved by the federal executive and be formally endorsed by a joint sitting of the South Australian parliament.
The South Australian parliament resumes on 15 November or could hold a special joint sitting to allow the new senator to take their seat when federal parliament returns for 2016’s final two-week sitting on 21 November. A joint sitting requires at least seven days’ notice, meaning a new senator will not be in place by Monday, when federal parliament returns.
Guardian Australia has confirmed that Family First’s other South Australian member of the upper house, Robert Brokenshire, will nominate for the position. A spokesman for South Australian premier Jay Weatherill said: “The government will not delay this process and will seek to arrange a joint sitting at the earliest available time.”
Hood said he expected the process to be complete by 21 November, the start of the final two-week sitting of federal parliament.
“It looks at this stage that Family First won’t be represented for one sitting week of the federal parliament, we’re looking at what is possible in terms of arranging us to have a vote in the absence of having a senator.”
Hood said Family First supported the plebiscite and “would have a view” on the ABCC. “If I were the prime minister I’d be keen to make sure he had a sense of exactly what our views were on those issues.”
Family First’s other South Australian member of the upper house, Robert Brokenshire, and Lucy Gichuhi, who was second on its SA ticket at the federal election have nominated. Hood said five other members had also nominated privately.