BARNABY’S BUNGLE ... I’M A KIWI
Government’s majority at risk
THE FATE of the Turnbull Government is in the hands of the High Court after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s shock revelation he is a New Zealand citizen.
Mr Joyce yesterday became the fifth federal parliamentarian — and the highest profile — to be caught up in the citizenship saga that has swept Canberra during the past month.
The Nationals leader’s explosive admission that he “may be a citizen by descent of New Zealand” puts the Government’s one-seat Parliament majority in peril.
The man who once threatened Johnny Depp with jail and warned his pet dogs Pistol and Boo could be destroyed was taunted with sheep noises from Opposition MPs on the floor of the House of Representatives as Question Time descended into a new farce.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was last night facing pressure to force Mr Joyce to stand down from his office, pending judgment of his eligibility to be a parliamentarian.
Mr Joyce has vowed to continue in his role, unlike his Nationals colleague Matthew Canavan who was forced to resign from cabinet last month because his mother applied on his behalf for Italian citizenship.
If the Agriculture Minister is deemed ineligible by the High Court, the Turnbull Government will face a by-election that would put its majority at risk.
No date has been set by the High Court for a decision on the case, but the Government believes it could take until December.
Amid doubts on the potential dual citizenship of five other MPs, Mr Turnbull wrote to Labor Leader Bill Shorten yesterday suggesting a joint referral to the High Court to decide the citizenship status of a “bloc” of federal politicians.
Mr Shorten declined the offer — despite questions over a handful of his caucus — saying Labor had the “strictest process in place” to ensure all of its candidates were eligible.
Former independent MP Tony Windsor — who controversially held up Julia Gillard’s minority government — would not rule out challenging for Mr Joyce’s seat of New England if a High Court ruling forced a by-election.
Mr Joyce said he was “shocked” to receive the information from the New Zealand High Commission but said advice from the Solicitor-General was of the “firm view” that he would not be disqualified as the member for New England under Section 44 of the Constitution.
“I’ve always been an Australian citizen, born in Tamworth, just as my mother and my great-grandmother was born there 100 years earlier,” Mr Joyce said.
“Neither I nor my parents has ever had any reason to believe that I may be a citizen of any other country.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English yesterday said “unwittingly or not” Mr Joyce was a New Zealand citizen.
Mr Joyce, who was born in Tamworth in New South Wales, said his father James was born in New Zealand and came to Australia in 1947 as a British subject.
“The concept of New Zealand and Australian citizenship was not created until 1948.
“Neither my parents nor I have ever applied to register me as a New Zealand citizen.
“The New Zealand Government has no register recognising me as a New Zealand citizen.”
He said his referral to the High Court would “provide clarification to this very important area of the law” for this and future parliaments.