Focus on Joyce appointments

CROSSBENCHERS are ramping up a push for a full citizenship audit of Parliament after revelations around Derryn Hinch. It comes as board appointments made by Deputy Premier Barnaby Joyce (above), including that of former senior National Ron Boswell, could be under a cloud if he is found to have been ineligible.

CROSSBENCHERS are ramping up a push for a full citizenship audit of Parliament following revelations around Derryn Hinch.

It comes as board appointments made by Deputy Premier Barnaby Joyce, including that of former senior National Ron Boswell, could be under a cloud if he is found to have been ineligible.

Senator Hinch yesterday said he would refer himself to the High Court to determine his eligibility as a senator.

The Victorian senator, who revoked his New Zealand citizenship, holds a US social security card from his time living in New York in the 1960s and 1970s, which meant he has a US social security number and was entitled to a pension.

This could disqualify him as a parliamentarian under section 44 of the Constitution.

Senator Hinch does not believe he is entitled to the rights and privileges of the US: “I am not a citizen, I can’t vote there, I can’t work there,” he said.

One Nation senator Pauline Hanson has used the issue to renew calls for a full citizenship audit.

“If Malcolm Turnbull wants to clean up the corrupt unions he should lead by example and clean up this citizenship fiasco first,” she said.

“Turnbull could hold a full MP citizenship audit but it seems he lacks the leadership. The public will lose all faith if this is not done.”

The Opposition’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon warned if the “jobs for the boys” appointments were made while Mr Joyce was ineligible to be a minister, they could be targeted.

He pointed to Ron Boswell, chairman of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, and former NSW Nationals MP Kay Hull, on the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.

“All those appointments could come under question if Mr Joyce is not eligible,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

A spokesman for Mr Joyce said there was no issue with any of the appointments.

“But Mr Fitzgibbon needs to explain if he has satisfied himself if appointments under a hypothetical Labor government led by Bill Shorten would be legal given his refusal to level with voters by releasing his own citizenship documents,” he said.

Mr Shorten has said he renounced potential UK citizenship in 2006.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday repeated he was confident that Mr Joyce, as well as Senators Fiona Nash, Matt Canavan and Nick Xenophon would survive High Court challenges to their eligibility over dual citizenship.