ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST Nationals deputy also dual citizen
IN THE crisis for the Turnbull Government, Deputy Nationals Leader Fiona Nash revealed she was a British dual- citizen through her estranged father and may be ineligible for Parliament.
It is a devastating blow for the Coalition, which is still reeling from Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce revealing on Monday he was an inadvertent Kiwi.
There are now six Australian politicians caught up in the dual- citizenship scandal, which is verging on a constitutional crisis. Under Section 44 of the Australian constitution, a person is not eligible latest to be elected to Parliament if they hold dual citizenship with another country.
Late last night, Senator Nash, first elected as a NSW Senator in 2004, told the Senate that the UK Home Office had informed her she held British citizenship through her Scottish father.
She will not resign from Parliament, stand aside from her portfolio or as Deputy Leader of the Nationals due to the advice of the SolicitorGeneral. But her case will be referred to the High Court when the Senate resumes on September 4.
It is understood the legal advice she received is almost identical to Mr Joyce’s.
While Mr Joyce is considered a New Zealand citizen by descent through his father under NZ law, he has said the Solicitor- General’s advice was that he was still eligible for Parliament.
Senator Nash said she undertook inquiries with the UK Home Office herself after Mr Joyce’s revelations.
“I was advised that a case worker at the UK Home Office was of the view that, on the basis of the limited facts that I had provided, I was a British citizen by descent through my Scottish- born father,” she said. “My parents divorced when I was eight and my mother raised me. I had little to no contact with my father throughout his life, and he died nine years ago. My mother died five years ago. Growing up, my parents always told me I was not a dual citizen.”
She sought further Home Office information on Wednesday, while the SolicitorGeneral’s advice was not received until late yesterday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Deputy Mr Joyce and Attorney- General George Brandis declined to comment last night.
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate Katy Gallagher said the entire National Party leadership was facing disqualification from Parliament. “Malcolm Turnbull needs to explain why he is holding Mr Joyce and now Senator Nash to a lesser standard than Matt Canavan and not requiring them to stand down,” she said.
Greens Senators Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam, LNP Senator Mr Canavan and One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts have all been referred to the High Court to determine eligibility.