Authorised by Jim Molan, Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division), Royalla Mr Molan was sworn in as a senator for NSW in February 2018 after former deputy Nationals leader Fiona Nash was caught up in the dual citizenship scandal. I served in the Australian Army for 40 years, including deployments to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, … The vote was widely seen as a test of Mr Morrison's authority, with Mr Molan unpopular among the party's Moderate and Right factions after running a "below-the-line" campaign at the election. He was dropped to an unwinnable position on the Coalition's Senate ticket in May after losing a preselection to the Centre Right's Hollie Hughes and the Moderate faction's Andrew Bragg. Retiring at the rank of Major General in 2008, his service included a broad range of command and staff appointments in operations, training, staff, and military diplomacy. Jim Molan after his successful bid for the Senate vacancy in Sydney on Sunday. Mr Molan has spent decades in the Australian Defence Force, including as chief-of-operations during its 2003 deployment in Iraq. The two-year vacancy was created after Prime Minister Scott Morrison appointed Senator Sinodinos to be Australia's Ambassador to the United States, succeeding former treasurer Joe Hockey. Jim believes in a strong, prosperous and free Australia. Senator Jim Molan, Queanbeyan, New South Wales. Since arriving in the Senate last year he’s had an incredible impact, advancing his values on key issues that will be critical to the nation’s future. "In all probability [Senator Sinodinos] will soon resign and that will then clear the route for me to go into the Senate.''. I bring into the Senate a lifetime of real-world experience. Jim Molan after his successful bid for the Senate vacancy in Sydney on Sunday.Credit:Edwina Pickles. Charis Chang CharisChang2 news.com.au June … 12K likes. Former Liberal MP Peter Hendy, who went on to be a senior adviser for Malcolm Turnbull and secured the backing of former foreign minister Alexander Downer, received five votes. But the Liberal state council held in Sydney on Sunday endorsed Mr Molan over his closest rival, insurance industry lobbyist Richard Shields, 321 votes to 260 votes. Former Operation Sovereign Border special envoy Jim Molan will return to the Senate after the Liberal Party backed him to take the vacancy created by Arthur Sinodinos' departure. However, the Right did formally endorse Mr Molan after an intervention from Mr Morrison and other Liberal heavyweights, including former prime minister John Howard. He previously served as Chief of Operations for the Coalition forces in Iraq and was the co-author of the Government's Operation Sovereign Borders policy. Parliamentary service Declared elected 22.12.2017 as a Senator for New South Wales by the High Court of Australia, vice the Hon. Kylar Loussikian is The Sydney Morning Herald's CBD columnist. Mr Molan was elected to the Senate in December 2017 after former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash was forced out during the dual citizenship scandal that year, but was placed in an unwinnable position for the May federal election and subsequently lost his spot. Very large text size Liberal senator and former army officer Jim Molan is touting his military record, which includes running the Iraq war, as part of an audacious bid to circumvent his own party machine and win re-election as an insurgent. But I hope we can speak this evening some time," he said. Jim Molan has conceded defeat and acknowledges he won’t get a Senate seat despite a divisive campaign urging people to vote below-the-line. F Nash (disqualified under section 44 … Jim Molan to return to Senate after Morrison, Howard backing. He was previously Mr Howard's chief-of-staff. Mr Molan received 277 first preference votes to Mr Shields' 153 while 81 votes were cast for St Vincent's Hospital heart surgeon Michael Feneley. Jim Molan, Senator for New South Wales, served in the Australian Army for 40 years. Senator Sinodinos leaves Parliament after eight years, including several as a senior minister in the Turnbull government. Mr Molan told Sky News Australia on Sunday that he had yet to speak to Mr Morrison. "I believe he's actually running the country and probably running the fire relief at the moment. Mr Molan was elected to the Senate in December 2017 after former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash was forced out during the dual citizenship scandal that year, but was placed in an unwinnable position for the May federal election and subsequently lost his spot.