Ralph Babet, United Australia Party senator, still works as a real estate agent ... trends now
A federal senator slammed on social media for not officially declaring his weekend work in real estate to parliament has dismissed his critics as 'nut job leftist activists'.
United Australia Party's sole senator Ralph Babet, who represents Victoria, opened a can of worms on Saturday when he tweeted 'I work in real estate on the weekends when I can'.
This was quickly seized on by a Twitter user who pointed out that Mr Babet's parliamentary register of interests said he had 'no other substantial sources of income'.
But the rightwing firebrand senator had a very simple explanation for continuing to work.
'I don't do it for the money,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.
Senator Ralph Babet (right) is pictured with fellow politician, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, who is a One Nation MLC in the Victorian Parliament
Senator Ralph Babet's tweet (pictured) about working in real estate at weekends has opened up a can of worms
'I do it because it's my small family business ... and I do it to help my family, just like somebody would go back to work on a farm if their family owned a farm,' he said.
'They would go back and help milk the cows or do whatever they do on the family farm. It's exactly the same thing.'
Mr Babet said he was under no obligation to declare his weekend work in real estate as 'there's no income' going into his bank account.
'I haven't received any sort of pay cheque on the business. So why would I declare something that I make no money from?,' he added.
Instead, the senator blamed 'nut jobs and leftist activists on Twitter' for saying he should have registered his work with Babet Brothers.
The register does disclose that he is a director of the company.
Senator Ralph Babet has not declared any other 'substantial sources of income' on his Senate declaration (pictured)
Mr Babet said the real estate controversy was because anything he says is turned into 'a huge problem' by some people.
'Everything I say, these people on Twitter find a negative in it. Nothing I say is something that they will actually look at and say, "OK, maybe he has a point,"' he said.
When he was elected last year, Mr Babet moaned about having to take a 'pay cut' to sit in parliament.
'This is a sacrifice for me I'm doing it to serve my country,' he said in a since deleted tweet.
'It's a pay cut. If you think $200,000 for
