One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has distanced herself from a potential party candidate, after he was involved in a scuffle with rogue West Australian senator Rod Culleton, as the party seeks to establish itself ahead of the upcoming state election.
Senator Culleton said he was recovering from an "unexpected attack" outside a Perth courthouse on Tuesday, after falling during a confrontation with Anthony Fels, a former WA parliamentarian and One Nation hopeful.
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Rod Culleton in scuffle outside Perth court
The former One Nation and now Independent senator took himself to hospital after a scuffle outside a Perth court when another man tried to hand him bankruptcy documents. Courtesy ABC News 24.
Mr Fels had attempted to serve Senator Culleton with court papers, as part of an ongoing financial dispute between the Senator and his former business partners.Â
Senator Culleton took to Twitter to release a statement alleging he had been assaulted outside the court, with "no warning" before he was "ambushed and knocked to the ground from behind", adding he had "growing concerns" for his family safety.
Senator Culleton quit the party last month, following a fractious relationship with Senator Hanson. He is expected to learn his political fate later this month when the High Court rules on his eligibility to stand in the Senate,Â
Mr Fels, who sat in the Western Australian upper house as a Liberal, before switching to Family First in 2008 and losing his seat the following year, has attempted a return to politics as an independent, Katter's Australian Party and Mutual Party candidate in subsequent state and federal elections.
He has since nominated for One Nation.
Mr Fels told Fairfax Media Senator Culleton "was going nuts".
!["I am not impressed with it all": One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.](/web/20170104204012im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/i/f/v/f/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtlpxe.png/1483510313531.jpg)
"He was lying on the pavement saying he'd hurt his leg but I never assaulted anyone; he just fell over," he said.Â
"I haven't done anything wrong; I just served the documents on him."
![Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton pictured outside the High Court last month.](/web/20170104204012im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/5/w/3/s/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtlpxe.png/1483510313531.jpg)
But Senator Hanson, who is attempting to establish One Nation as a credible alternative to the major parties and overcome the memories of its past disunity and disarray, was quick to put distance between Mr Fels and her brand.
"I heard about it, I heard about it last night and I am not impressed with it all," she told Channel Seven's Sunrise on Wednesday.
"Anthony Fels, let me just make it quite clear, Anthony Fels had a meeting with me, at the request of people who know him, to actually stand as a candidate - no one has been endorsed as a candidate in Western Australia, because the party has not been registered yet.
"I am not impressed with it all. He was serving papers, it was nothing to do with One Nation, it is a civil matter.
"...No one has been endorsed, so don't jump to conclusions."