Family First Senator Bob Day quits the Senate

South Australian Senator Bob Day has announced he is leaving federal parliament today, due to financial issues with his construction business Home Australia.

Mr Day was elected to the federal Senate in 2013, and has been Family First’s sole member in Canberra. Originally a member of the Liberal Party, Day joined Family First after the Liberals failed to put Day forward for pre-selection at the 2008 by-election for the seat of Mayo.

The Senator took a leave of absence from parliament last week, but Mr Day has now revealed that his home building business has gone into liquidation and believes his position is no longer tenable.

Full statement that was sent to the Australian newspaper regarding their Home Australia stories. I stepped back in to help out. pic.twitter.com/cFhzNZ54wY

— Bob Day (@senatorbobday) September 28, 2016

The federal chairman of the Family First party has been an outspoken opponent of marriage equality and LGBTIQ+ rights in Australia. Speaking against a tabled marriage equality bill earlier this year, the Senator decried gay men as unable to maintain a monogamous relationship.

“In places where gay people, typically men, have been able to form recognised unions, they do not necessarily equate their commitment to monogamy,” Senator Day said in March.

“The term ‘monogamish’—monogamy as a kind of ‘monogamish’—has now been coined, a sort of ‘open marriage’—a tautology if ever I heard one in this brave new world—as they feel a restriction to one partner is unrealistic and unnatural.”

Day’s departure will allow the Family First party to decide who will replace the Senator in the Upper House’s cross-bench. Kenyan-born Lucy Gichuhi was second on South Australia’s senate ticket at this year’s federal election in July and may now be the front runner to take the empty senate seat.

OIP Staff

Sources

• Australian Parliament House