Arriving at Canberra Airport this morning before a day in the High Court, former One Nation senator Rod Culleton insists he is still very much a senator (and his chief of staff chided journalists who called him “Mr Culleton” and insists he will be taking his seat in the Senate when Parliament resumes on Tuesday because, as he put it, “it’s like baking a cake: you need all the ingredients in the Senate for a good outcome.”)

Parliament security may have a different idea. When asked why the Parliament website now lists him as a former senator, Culleton said “they can say what they like, no one is above the law.” When questioned whether taxpayers were picking up the bill for Culleton to fly from Western Australia to Canberra for the former senator to continue his legal battle, Culleton wouldn’t say. The fact that he took a taxi, rather than a comcar, from the airport to the High Court probably gives some indication on that front.

Culleton insists he will be returning to his parliamentary office later today, but as Ms Tips previously reported, Culleton’s staff were forced to clear out his former office on Australia Day, and his name plate was removed last week.