The High Court Just Kicked Out Another Politician Because Lol, This Country
Another one bites the dust.
In the latest twist in this dual citizenship debacle, the High Court has just ruled that Liberal Hollie Hughes is not eligible to replace dual citizen Nationals MP Fiona Nash.
Surprisingly, for politics these days, Hughes’ ineligibility has nothing to do with citizenship. Rather, she’s ineligible because she took a government job on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal between the election and now. Section 44 of the constitution bars people from being elected to parliament if they hold an “office of profit under the crown”.
The news means Nash’s likely replacement is now the next person below Hughes on the ticket, Jim Molan, a former Major General and one of the architects of the Stop the Boats policy in his time as an adviser to Tony Abbott.
Tony Abbott may have lost the debate on the same-sex marriage, but there's a win from the High Court for him today. His ally Jim Molan now in line to replace Fiona Nash in the Senate after High Court today ruled Hollie Hughes invalid. #auspol pic.twitter.com/G3vQIyWKYh
— James Elton-Pym (@JamesEltonPym) November 15, 2017
The news is also not great for Hollie Hughes, and not just because she’s not getting a seat in the Senate. As the High Court heard earlier today, Hughes apparently quit her job at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal just 45 minutes after Fiona Nash was disqualified by the High Court, in an attempt to ensure she would be eligible. Given that she’s not, she now has no job or Senate seat. Rough day.
Hollie Hughes timeline:
– Loses election
– Gets appointed to cushy government job.
– Quits government job in order to take up Nash's senate seat.
– Gets rejected by the High Court.
– Has no job or Senate seat.— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) November 15, 2017
The High Court will release their full reasons for the decision at a later date. We’ll also find out later what happens next with Jim Molan — who knows, he too may yet prove to be ineligible! Depending on the Court’s full reasons, we may also see the Hughes decision flow on to affect others in a similar situation with government jobs.
What a clusterfuck this country is in right now.
That Hollie Hughes will send a shiver up the spine of David Gillespie, who is before High Court over profit under crown issue #auspol
— Bevan Shields (@BevanShields) November 15, 2017
Another one bites the dust… Surely Andrew Bartlett will now be referred to the High Court. And Jacqui Lambie’s replacement is similarly on shaky ground.
— George Williams (@ProfGWilliams) November 15, 2017