The man yelled out that the court was a “star chamber” before the hearing was momentarily adjourned.

The High Court is deliberating over Senator Culleton’s election eligibility given he had a larceny conviction at the time of the July poll for stealing the keys to a tow truck.

It was later annulled but under the constitution, any person who has been convicted of an offence punishable by a jail sentence of a year or longer is incapable of being chosen as a senator.

Senator Culleton is fighting the case against him and was joined by his wife when he arrived at the court this morning.

“We're prepared and we're ready to go in to fight,” he told reporters in Canberra.

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Submissions filed last week on his behalf argue there is no case to answer and insist the commonwealth should pay his legal costs.

Queensland MP Bob Katter once again showed his support by joining Senator Culleton in Canberra for the hearing.

“He's got no money so he had to defend himself and the High Court didn't think that was a fair go so the High Court directed that the government pay his costs,” he told reporters.

“The government's paying as they should. It was the senate's decision to throw a bloke out of the senate over the loss of a $7.50 key.”

Mr Katter maintains Senator Culleton is not considering joining his Katter’s Australian Party.

He says they are just good friends.

“There is not a single person in the parliament that hasn't sold him out in the senate. They sold him out because if there's a vacancy, the ALP has a very good chance of picking up that vacancy, the Liberals have a very good chance of picking up that vacancy and Pauline Hanson will have a little puppy dog on a leash. She thinks she can pick up that position as well so they've all got a vested interest in throwing him out the window,” he said.

The High Court hearing comes as Senator Culleton’s public spat with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson continues to boil over.

He says he hasn’t spoken to her for some time and can’t make her love him.

He claims he is not considering becoming an independent but has promised not to vote along party lines where he sees fit to get the best outcome for voters.

“If you feel that you can get a better deal as one senator standing out on his own, that's what you go for. You must strike the best deal you can on the day and take every piece of legislation on its merit and go your hardest because that's what the people want. They want someone that's going to perform, not a bloody muppet,” Senator Culleton said.

Last week, he sided with Labor instead of voting with his One Nation colleagues on a deal Ms Hanson struck with the Turnbull government on the backpacker tax.

Pauline Hanson revealed yesterday that she can’t work or reason with him and that if he doesn’t start being a team player she will re-evaluate his future within the party.



The High Court will sit again on Friday.