Australian deputy PM renounces citizenship

AUSTRALIA’S “accidental Kiwi” d e p u t y p r i me mi n i s t e r renounced his New Zealand citizenship yesterday amid sheep jokes, Hollywood taunts and conspiracy theories about a left-wing plot to topple Canberra’s conservative government.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce revealed his New Zealand connection on Monday, sparking calls for him to stand down as it is illegal for dual citizens to sit in the Australian parliament.

By yesterday afternoon, Joyce told parliament that authorities in Wellington had agreed he could renounce the New Zealand citizenship acquired from his Dunedin-born father.

“We received verbal communication from New Zealand before question time that that has now been accepted and we’re looking forward to the written advice turning up pronto,” he said.

The development does not mean the end of the bizarre affair, which threatens Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s one-seat majority in parliament.

But Joyce will hope it bolsters the case to remain in his job, preserving the government’s waferthin buffer, until the High Court determines if he is eligible to sit as an elected official.

He is best known internationally for threatening to euthanise Johnny Depp’s dogs Pistol and Boo when they were brought into the country illegally.

Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard was revelling in his discomfort, tweeting yesterday “when Barnaby Joyce said ‘no one is above the law’, I didn’t realise he meant New Zealand law’.”

“To comfort Mr. Joyce in his hour [of ] need, I have sent him a box of New Zealand’s finest kiwi fruit (assuming this passes his biosecurity laws),” she added.

New Zealand officials said queries from Australian journalists prompted last week’s discovery about Joyce’s status.

However, Turnbull said it was “outrageous and improper” that a New Zealand Labour MP, Chris Hipkins, also admitted asking questions about the issue last week after talks with someone from the Australian Labor Party.

Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar alleged a conspiracy between the Australian and New Zealand centre-left parties, likening it to Cold War espionage.

“Not since the old days of worrying about Soviet Russia, that is how long since we have had to worry about these sort of things,” he told Sky News.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop went further, casting doubt on whether Canberra could work with New Zealand Labour if it won a general election.

“I would find it very hard to build trust with those involved in allegations designed to undermine the government of Australia,” she said.