Electrical contractor Peter Georgiou has officially replaced his brother-in-law Rodney Culleton as a senator for Western Australia.
Georgiou was appointed to the role by the high court on Friday after a recount of the ballot papers that found he was the next electable candidate.
Georgiou indicated in February that if selected by the special recount election he would sit with One Nation, despite Culleton resigning from the party citing “personal attacks and unAustralian behaviour” towards him.
Culleton was removed from parliament in January after the federal court declared him bankrupt the previous month. His election was also ruled invalid by the high court in February because he had been convicted of larceny at the time of the poll, even though the conviction was later annulled.
Culleton tried to have Friday’s proceedings adjourned and provided a list of 10 reasons why it should be delayed. But the court found none of the reasons were relevant and refused the request.
After Culleton quit the party in December, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said she was “glad to see the back of him”.
“Rod was a pain in my backside,” she told the Seven Network.
She said Culleton was impossible to work with and that if Georgiou was selected and Culleton went to work for him the party would be “on the same merry-go-round”.
But when Culleton was declared ineligible in February, Hanson welcomed Georgiou to her team.
I look forward to having Peter Georgiou represent Pauline Hanson's One Nation & Western Australia. Welcome to the team Peter. #auspol pic.twitter.com/zUQ7BHcEzL
— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) February 2, 2017
At the time Georgiou said in a statement it was “a very proud and humbling moment to be given the opportunity to represent Pauline Hanson’s One Nation ... and, if I am confirmed as a senator, it will be my great honour to represent the people of Western Australia”.
