One Nation has ended the parliamentary year with a deepening rift, after Pauline Hanson led two of her senators in voting against embattled colleague Rod Culleton, in the lead-up to the fight for his political life.
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After his party failed to support his motion calling on Attorney-General George Brandis to return to the Senate as part of his on-going fight against claims, referred to the High Court, that his election was ineligible, Senator Culleton called on his leader to "please explain".
He said it was a "fair point" the act would be viewed as rift between himself and the rest of the party.
"This is about principles and if you can't have principles … maybe I am starting to see why I have been put down here in the first place," he told Fairfax Media.
"It was clearly the government, Pauline Hanson and Leyonhjelm – so there's the marriage.
"Maybe I might have to see if they will annul the marriage, maybe that is the way we need to look at it … get an annulment between the government and One Nation."
Labor, the Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team, Jackie Lambie and Derryn Hinch voted in support of Senator Culleton, while the government, Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and his One Nation colleagues voted against him.
Earlier, Senator Culleton had split with his party over the backpacker tax, which sent the government scrambling back to the negotiating table to finalise a deal before the end of the parliamentary year.
Senator Culleton said he had been acting in good faith to get "the best deal for rural Australia" and had voted for "what is right".
"There was always going to be a resolution and one always has to take the position – not what's best for the party, but what's best for the people."
The relationship between Senator Hanson and Senator Culleton, who will face the High Court next week to retain his seat in the Senate, dominated Parliament last week, with the pair playing cat and mouse with each other amid rumours of a widening rift.
Senator Hanson spoke through an ABC camera to demand Senator Culleton meet with her, which the West Australian referred to as "patronising", but the pair later publicly denied any tension.
Senator Culleton has repeatedly stated he will remain with One Nation
Senator Hanson has been contacted for comment.
