Her most troublesome colleague has been booted, but it’s not making One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson’s life any easier. Picture: Wesley Monts

In her first interview following the bankrupt farmer’s formal removal from parliament, the party leader summed up the saga over the dismissed politician with resigned accuracy.

“It’s been a debacle,” she said. “And I’m not happy about it.”

And the pain Mr Culleton has caused Ms Hanson won’t be quickly relieved.

The defiant former politician is vowing to fight his removal from the senate after being informed on Wednesday there was a vacancy because of his disqualification.

Mr Culleton has claimed the “premature” decision should be withdrawn, and that he will fight the Federal Court ruling that he is bankrupt — the final reason behind his dismissal.

The Federal Court ruled last month that Mr Culleton was an “undischarged bankrupt” after he failed to repay a $280,000 debt to former Wesfarmers director Dick Lester, but Mr Culleton thinks he did not receive a fair hearing.

Former senator Rod Culleton has vowed to fight his disqualification. Picture: Richard Wainwright/AAPSource:AAP

His place as senator has become vacant, but how it will be filled depends on another separate court battle that Mr Culleton is fighting.

The Court of Disputed Returns is still to determine whether Mr Culleton was eligible to be selected as a senator in the first place as he had been convicted of a larceny charge, which was later annulled, at the time of the federal election last July.

That won’t be determined until the next Senate sitting on February 7.

Depending on the court’s decision, the vacancy will be filled either by the next candidate on the One Nation ticket, Mr Culleton’s brother-in-law Peter Georgiou, or the party can nominate a replacement.

Ms Hanson is hoping for the latter, and announced last night if a casual vacancy was declared she had “already chosen a great person to replace him in the Senate”.

Ms Hanson refused to expand on her secret decision in an interview on Nine’s Today this morning, but admitted she had initially thought Mr Culleton would be a “great” for WA One Nation supporters as well.

“Look, I thought Rod was going to be a great representative for the people of Western Australia, especially the farmers who are going through their problems with the banks foreclosing on them,” she said.

“Look, am I happy about the demise of Rod Culleton? No, I’m not.”

Ms Hanson said she would not disclose who she had chosen to replace Mr Culleton should she get the opportunity.

“We have to wait for the full determination of the courts,” she said.

Mr Culleton was elected in the July federal election as a representative of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation but resigned in December from the party.