The Australian Women's Register

The circumstances of Irina Dunn’s election to the Senate were unusual. Robert Wood was initially elected to the Senate, but was disqualified under section 44 of the Constitution. The High Court of Australia, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, determined that a recount of the New South Wales Senate ballots could occur. Dunn, who had been the second person on the Nuclear Disarmament Party’s Senate ticket, was elected. Once Wood gained Australian citizenship, thereby becoming eligible to sit in the national Parliament, the Party requested that Dunn resign in favour of Wood, but she refused to comply with the request and was subsequently expelled from the Nuclear Disarmament Party. She continued to sit in the Senate as an Independent.