Submissions called to investigate the unlawful removal of Senator Rod Culleton from the senate earlier this year.

What really happened?  Why did the Attorney General Liberal George Brandis, intentionally mislead the senate about Culleton and how did the Senate President Stephen Parry(former Port Arthur undertaker) remove Culleton without a motion of the senate? Section 47 of the Commonwealth Constitution of Australia says only the senate can rule on the eligibility of a senator.

The senate has ordered an inquiry into the sacking of WA senator Rod Culleton while Brandis and Parry head for the hills.

Brandis is hightailing it to London as the new High Commissioner. He will no doubt be called to give evidence. He has a problem.

‘On 6 December 2017, the Senate resolved that the following matter be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for inquiry and report by 6 February 2018:

The implications of recent decisions by the Court of Disputed Returns concerning section 44 of the Constitution on questions referred by the Parliament under section 376 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, with particular reference to:

(a) the decisions in connection with the disqualification of former Senators Bob Day and Rodney Culleton;
(b) a regime for disclosing information relating to aspects other than section 44(i), for which the Parliament has already provided;
(c) the form such a process might take and how it could be implemented; and
(d) any related matters.’

Senator Bob Day(above) and Rod Culleton could be reinstated to the senate after a senate inquiry investigates the circumstances of their removal

 

Committee Secretariat contact:

Committee Secretary
Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters
PO Box 6021
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 2374
Fax: +61 2 6277 4773
em@aph.gov.au