CANBERRA -- It was an interesting decision at the time. Sending a senator highly critical of the United Nations to the United Nations.
And when Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi left for his three month, tax-payer funded, posting to New York City as an Australian Government observer he made it clear he was told "no freelancing".
But the South Australian has been in the United States so long he appears to have left his role as a non-partisan observer and morphed into a Donald Trump supporter.
Make Australia Great Again pic.twitter.com/hL595FI59S
— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) November 6, 2016
With just hours until the U.S voters go to the polls, Bernardi has tweeted a selfie with a special "Make Australia Great Again" version of the Trump campaign hat, "Make America Great Again".
He explained it was a birthday gift and he's defending it to the hilt, denying he is a cheerleader for Donald Trump and accusing Labor critics of hypocrisy.
There's a Labor Senator here too who is supporting Hillary. My tweets are free too @LindaBurneyMP #Hypocrite https://t.co/OFUfeXIc3s
— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) November 7, 2016
Bernardi has taken up Trumpisms such as "Crooked Hillary," "Drain The Swamp" and "Make America Great Again".
The only person the senator follows on Twitter is the Republican Presidential candidate.
Labor don't like me supporting Trump but ok with their own tweeting support for crooked Hillary. #DrainTheSwamp #Hypocrites
— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) November 6, 2016
Labor's Penny Wong has called on the Prime Minister to pull Bernardi into line, saying it is "completely inappropriate" for anyone representing the Australian Parliament to support a particular candidate in the U.S election.
Bit grumpy today Cory? https://t.co/5nnPj5PrSv
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) November 3, 2016
But Cory Bernardi broken any rules or just breached expectations?
The Huffington Post Australia has asked the Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Minister's office and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for a pointer to any rules for such secondments.