Senate & the Libs: Bob Day, just whose family is first?

[David]

Family First's Bob Day has resigned after it emerged that he'd been improperly collecting rent on his party office.

This is big news for three reasons:

1) He was the crossbencher with the best record of supporting government legislation (he voted with them at least 90% of the time). Even if he gets replaced by another Family First senator, as would usually happen in these circumstances, there's no guarantee that they will be as supportive. Day was an ex-Liberal and seemed to align with them on most things; in these small parties, voting often has more to do with the individual politician's inclinations than the party's view.

2) Even more remarkably, it's possible that the results of the election will be recounted and Family First won't be allowed to provide another senator. In that situation, it's most likely that Labor or One Nation will win. That will put the government in an even weaker position in the upper house.

Say Labor win the replacement seat, for instance: in the past, the government could have gotten legislation through if it had the votes of One Nation, Xenophon, and two out of Leyonhjelm, Lambie, Day and Hinch. Getting One Nation and Xenophon to agree on anything is a bit of a nightmare, but if they cleared that hurdle, they could reasonably count on Day's vote and probably at least one of Leyonhjelm's or Hinch's (depending on the legislation). Now, they would need two out of Leyonhjelm, Lambie and Hinch on every piece of legislation, plus One Nation and Xenophon. Talk about herding cats!

3) To make things even crazier, there's now a question as to whether any piece of legislation that got through the senate over the past two years (presumably, where Day had the deciding vote) was valid. I have no idea what happens if it's found not to be.

http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/bob-day-may-have-illegally-voted-in-the-senate-for-more-than-two-years/news-story/3ecb2e15cfd456930f72c5b861b6c4eb

[HAL]

Why now? They might have other options.

[Culprit]

[watt price tully]

So Bob Day reckons his family first : what a good man of faith - besides owing gazillions & leaving poor homebuyers out of pocket & out of accommodation it seems the good Senator has broken Australian law, made a good buck out of it from our money with the knowing if not active compliance of the Turnbull government.

Family First's Bob Day first announced his resignation from the Senate on October 17. If found to be bankrupt following the collapse of his home building empire he faced expulsion due to parliamentary regulations. Day later delayed this resignation, saying he'd stay in the Parliament and vote with the government on its pending industrial relations changes and for a same-sex marriage plebiscite.

On Tuesday, Mr Day said he would now resign immediately and shortly afterwards the government announced it would ask the High Court to examine the validity of Mr Day's election to the High Court. The court will consider if Day's re-election to the Senate in July is in breach of section 44 of the constitution, relating to an indirect pecuniary interest over the ownership of Day's Adelaide electorate office......

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/the-bob-day-controversy-explained-20161102-gsg06l.html

This disgraceful act shows the desperation of the farce that is the Turnbull Government.

[David]

It's a veritable crossbencher firesale!

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/02/challenge-election-one-nation-senator-rod-culleton

[Culprit]

Bob is not going down alone.

[Dave The Man]

Then a lot of the Pollies could be in same Trouble

[Culprit]

https://www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/roberts-on-a-roll?utm_term=.yxEQV3KGw#.rdn5zOvjg

WTF??

[npalm]

Maybe we should have a Nick's poll on who is the biggest fruitcake in the Australian senate. My vote goes to Malcolm-Ieuan: Roberts.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/one-nation-senatorelect-malcolm-roberts-wrote-bizarre-sovereign-citizen-letter-to-julia-gillard-20160804-gqlesa.html

[David]

Roberts and Culleton are absolute nutcases. I'm kind of worried we haven't heard much from Brian Burston yet. Perhaps they're saving their best for last?

[Dave The Man]

[David]

Scott Ludlam. Strong non-nutcase vibes from that fellow.

[watt price tully]

[watt price tully]

So this crook basically gets off scott-free.

The Government pays for the Family First crook Bob Day while punishing those in receipt of welfare.

Two sets of rules in Australia (one for haves & one for the have nots) could not be better championed than by our coalition conservative government. Cnuts & P*icks (I'm trying to be even-handed). Don't rest on rhetoric, don't rest on policy look at the evidence

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/25/bob-days-debts-waived-by-coalition-as-he-acted-as-senator-in-good-faith

As noted above (with some current modifications):

So Bob Day reckons his family first : what a good man of faith - besides owing gazillions & leaving poor homebuyers out of pocket & out of accommodation the good former Senator has broken Australian law, made a good buck out of it from our money with the knowing if not active compliance of the Turnbull government.

Should be jailed - oh no he's declared himself bankrupt. Morally bankrupt like this pathetic excuse of a Government.