McKim says he’s dinky di

GREENS Senator Nick McKim is 100 per cent certain he has renounced his British citizenship and won’t be forced to resign from the Senate such as colleagues Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam.

Senator McKim, who was born in Britain, took action to renounce before he took up a casual vacancy in 2015.

Meanwhile, Greens Leader Richard Di Natale is seeking proof of the renunciation of his Italian citizenship.

Senator McKim said he had fulfilled the High Court’s criteria he had done everything he reasonably could to renounce dual citizenship.

He said he had taken legal advice and filled out the British Home Office’s form. While he received no confirmation from Britain “they took the money out of my bank account”.

Senator McKim said he had sought confirmation this week.

“As soon as that arrives I am happy to release that,” he said.

Senator McKim came to Tasmania aged 5 and became a naturalised Australian in 1985. He said the requirement Australian federal politicians had a singular allegiance to Australia was reasonable to ensure there was no conflicted allegiance if the nation went to war.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said he had never been a citizen of Singapore despite being born there.

“This issue was examined during my preselection process,” he said.

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz was born in Germany but renounced his German citizenship in December, 1974, before entering Parliament.

In a statement to the Senate in 2010, Senator Abetz said he had written to German authorities in 1992 to clarify his position that he had renounced his citizenship in 1974.

Other Tasmanian MPs confirmed their eligibility. Senator Jacqui Lambie said she was a “born and bred Tassie girl”.

Liberal Senators David Bushby and Jonathon Duniam said they were born in Launceston. Senate president Stephen Parry was born in Burnie.

Labor Senators Helen Polley, Anne Urquhart, Carol Brown and Catryna Bilyk said they were Australian citizens.

Senator Lisa Singh said she had unknowingly been a British citizen via her father who came to Australia from Fiji.

“The Labor Party did due diligence on my citizenship status before I stood for the Senate in 2010 ... I had no awareness that the British citizenship had been conferred on me,” she said.

Lyons MP Brian Mitchell was born in Britain but renounced his British citizenship in 2012. Braddon MP Justine Keay was born in Tasmania and obtained British citizenship in 2004 but renounced it before running for parliament last year.

Denison MP Andrew Wilkie, Franklin MP Julie Collins and Bass MP Ross Hart said they were born in Australia.