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| Bob Katter says Rodney Culleton would be 'very valuable' to his party | Bob Katter says Rodney Culleton would be 'very valuable' to his party |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Bob Katter has said it would be improper to ask Rodney Culleton, who quit One Nation late on Sunday evening, to join his party but it would be a “great honour” and “very valuable” to have him. | Bob Katter has said it would be improper to ask Rodney Culleton, who quit One Nation late on Sunday evening, to join his party but it would be a “great honour” and “very valuable” to have him. |
| Katter told Guardian Australia on Monday that his party was focused on ensuring Culleton’s “survival” in the Senate, not luring him across, but anything was possible in three or four months’ time. | Katter told Guardian Australia on Monday that his party was focused on ensuring Culleton’s “survival” in the Senate, not luring him across, but anything was possible in three or four months’ time. |
| The MP revealed that Culleton had previously told him he would not join Katter’s Australian party. But since resigning, Culleton has said only that he will continue to represent Western Australia “independently of One Nation” and has not ruled out the possibility of joining another party. | The MP revealed that Culleton had previously told him he would not join Katter’s Australian party. But since resigning, Culleton has said only that he will continue to represent Western Australia “independently of One Nation” and has not ruled out the possibility of joining another party. |
| Asked about the possibility of joining Katter’s party, Culleton’s chief of staff, Margaret Menzel, said on Monday: “It could be [possible] … down the track, he’ll make that decision if it is in the interests of West Australians. He will maintain his integrity and do what is in their best interests, wherever that leads.” | Asked about the possibility of joining Katter’s party, Culleton’s chief of staff, Margaret Menzel, said on Monday: “It could be [possible] … down the track, he’ll make that decision if it is in the interests of West Australians. He will maintain his integrity and do what is in their best interests, wherever that leads.” |
| Culleton confirmed that he would review all his options going forward and act in the best interests of his state. | Culleton confirmed that he would review all his options going forward and act in the best interests of his state. |
| He quit One Nation after months of instability, citing “personal attacks and un-Australian behaviour” towards him by his colleagues. | He quit One Nation after months of instability, citing “personal attacks and un-Australian behaviour” towards him by his colleagues. |
| In addition to Pauline Hanson’s public criticism of Culleton and her decision to agree to refer his eligibility as a candidate to the high court, Culleton complained that One Nation had changed course on several major areas of policy. | In addition to Pauline Hanson’s public criticism of Culleton and her decision to agree to refer his eligibility as a candidate to the high court, Culleton complained that One Nation had changed course on several major areas of policy. |
| He split from the party by calling for a lower backpacker tax, opposing the sale of Kidman station to the Gina Rinehart Shanghai CRED joint venture, and calling for a royal commission rather than a parliamentary inquiry into banks. | He split from the party by calling for a lower backpacker tax, opposing the sale of Kidman station to the Gina Rinehart Shanghai CRED joint venture, and calling for a royal commission rather than a parliamentary inquiry into banks. |
| Hanson blamed Culleton’s resignation on his request for One Nation to pay his legal fees in the high court and bankruptcy proceedings, including a federal court case with a hearing on Monday. Menzel said Culleton had never asked Hanson for money. | Hanson blamed Culleton’s resignation on his request for One Nation to pay his legal fees in the high court and bankruptcy proceedings, including a federal court case with a hearing on Monday. Menzel said Culleton had never asked Hanson for money. |
| Katter has previously said he would not accept a “rat” in his party but it was another matter if Hanson “ratted” on Culleton. On Monday he told Guardian Australia Hanson had “thrown Culleton under a speeding locomotive”. | Katter has previously said he would not accept a “rat” in his party but it was another matter if Hanson “ratted” on Culleton. On Monday he told Guardian Australia Hanson had “thrown Culleton under a speeding locomotive”. |
| “He is very valuable to us,” Katter said. “In the cause of fighting the banks, to have someone in the Senate who will move resolutions to get a royal commission, is extremely important to us.” | “He is very valuable to us,” Katter said. “In the cause of fighting the banks, to have someone in the Senate who will move resolutions to get a royal commission, is extremely important to us.” |
| He confirmed he had held discussions about whether Culleton should join his party but said his only consideration was whether it would help Culleton’s survival – and he had concluded it would not. | He confirmed he had held discussions about whether Culleton should join his party but said his only consideration was whether it would help Culleton’s survival – and he had concluded it would not. |
| Instead, Katter said, he had spent “a bloody long time trying to rescue the bloke” in the past month. He attended both Culleton’s high court hearings, offering moral support and even comparing him to Jesus in a handwritten note to his wife, Ioanna. | Instead, Katter said, he had spent “a bloody long time trying to rescue the bloke” in the past month. He attended both Culleton’s high court hearings, offering moral support and even comparing him to Jesus in a handwritten note to his wife, Ioanna. |
| “We would regard it as great honour to have Rod [Culleton] join, he’s been a great fighter against the banks,” he said. | “We would regard it as great honour to have Rod [Culleton] join, he’s been a great fighter against the banks,” he said. |
| Katter said Culleton had been “on the side of the angels” in the four great battles of the 45th parliament. These were opposing the government’s agenda to “bash up the workers” with its two industrial relations bills, lobbying for a lower backpacker tax, calling for a bank royal commission and supporting the Australian bid for Kidman and Co. | Katter said Culleton had been “on the side of the angels” in the four great battles of the 45th parliament. These were opposing the government’s agenda to “bash up the workers” with its two industrial relations bills, lobbying for a lower backpacker tax, calling for a bank royal commission and supporting the Australian bid for Kidman and Co. |
| He said he “couldn’t understand” Hanson’s positions on those issues. “If One Nation stood for anything, I would’ve thought it would be the Australian way.” | He said he “couldn’t understand” Hanson’s positions on those issues. “If One Nation stood for anything, I would’ve thought it would be the Australian way.” |
| Hanson told reporters in Brisbane on Monday that she was aware that if the high court found Culleton ineligible for the Senate, it was his brother-in-law, Peter Georgiou, who was in line to take the seat as One Nation’s second candidate. | |
| But Hanson said she was also “hearing rumours” that Culleton’s brother-in-law “may be a guarantor for him” in bankruptcy proceedings heard in the federal court in Perth on Monday. | |
| “So if that be the case, his brother [sic] may not be eligible to stand. So if that be the case, the seat will then come back to the party to determine who goes into the seat,” she said. | |
| Hanson said she was eyeing a “loyal” candidate who had been involved with the party more than 25 years, but did not name the person. | |
| Katter said Hanson wanted to “keep her puppies on a leash” and had pushed Culleton out of the party because he had said she was doing “the opposite” of what the party believed in with respect to “the ownership of Australia”. | Katter said Hanson wanted to “keep her puppies on a leash” and had pushed Culleton out of the party because he had said she was doing “the opposite” of what the party believed in with respect to “the ownership of Australia”. |
| Other parties were circling Culleton’s Senate position “like carrion”, Katter said, raising the prospect one of the major parties could take the seat in a recount if the high court found he had been ineligible to stand. | Other parties were circling Culleton’s Senate position “like carrion”, Katter said, raising the prospect one of the major parties could take the seat in a recount if the high court found he had been ineligible to stand. |
| On Monday Hanson complained that she had no say over Culleton’s replacement. She has previously said if Georgiou was elected the party would be on “the same merry-go-round”. | On Monday Hanson complained that she had no say over Culleton’s replacement. She has previously said if Georgiou was elected the party would be on “the same merry-go-round”. |