The Liberal Senator Jim Molan delivered his first speech to the Senate on February 14, 2018.

Molan acknowledged the unique circumstances of his election. From seventh place on the coalition’s NSW Senate ticket, he found himself taking his place in the chamber eighteen months after the 2016 federal election.

Senator Fiona Nash (Nat) was disqualified by the High Court on October 27, 2017, due to her dual citizenship. The court ordered a special recount of the ballot which resulted in the election of Hollie Hughes (Lib). Hughes was then disqualified because she had taken a job with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2017, a time held by the High Court to still be part of the election period. Molan was then elected. She was disqualified under Section 44 of the Constitution for holding an office of profit under the crown. [Read more…]