When Bob Day announced his resignation from the Senate on October 17th, after the company he built up over 40 years went into liquidation, he said he had made two big mistakes.
The first was buying Huxley Homes in New South Wales.
The second, he said, was going into politics without putting in place a proper management structure for the business.
Since that day he has made several more.
It has been an unedifying fortnight for the now former Senator from South Australia, who once enjoyed much admiration as a self-made millionaire.
To recap, he announced his resignation, then delayed handing it in, then hinted he was having a change of heart suggesting he’d hang around Parliament for another few weeks, then confirmed he wanted to stay, before today’s final decision to quit - effective immediately.
And in that fortnight, the perception that he was doing the honourable thing was replaced with one that he put his political interests above those he is in debt to.
'Deadlines were constantly set and missed, questions went unanswered, lives left in limbo.'
It is true that he did not have to quit, the constitution states only that one declared bankrupt or insolvent is disqualified from holding office.
But it was he who said his position in the Senate was untenable, and that he needed to concentrate on finding “a way to pay back every debt fully, no matter how long it takes".
Stalling his resignation and continuing to collect his $199k salary despite missing all but three days of the new parliament, added insult to injury for his customers.
Each reason offered - there was no time to organise a replacement, he needed to support the government's marriage equality plebiscite and the industrial relations bills, a new investor was coming - further infuriated them.
Since the middle of this year, SBS News has been tracking the steady decline of Home Australia and its companies in five states.
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Bob Day's rocky road to ruin
There are more than 200 houses unfinished and their owners have all told us similar stories; people who signed contracts over two years ago with what they thought was a reputable firm are still without a home, some of the houses we visited were full of defects, others still resemble junk yards.
Deadlines were constantly set and missed, questions went unanswered, lives left in limbo.
Also waiting: the unsecured creditors, otherwise known as painters, tilers, plasterers, who are owed $12m collectively.
To their ears, the past fortnight hasn’t sounded like a man having a change of heart but just more broken promises.
Today he came full circle, honouring his original word and accepting that it really is time to go.
But in a bombshell twist, it may turn out that that he should never have taken his seat on the red benches in the first place.
The government has confirmed that it advised Mr Day last Friday that there were constitutional question marks over the validity of his re-election in July, relating to a potential indirect financial interest that would disqualify him.
The High Court will be asked to rule on this as a matter of urgency and it could mean Family First does not get to replace him.
"I will now devote my time and energy to assisting those who have been affected by the company's closure," he said in today's statement.
"I am sorry it has ended this way."
It hasn’t ended well for anyone tied up with Home Australia.
