Senate turmoil

Australian lawmakers forced to prove nationality in order to serve as elected reps.

CaNBErra: All Australian senators have three weeks to prove they were not foreign nationals when elected under an agreement the major political parties reached to resolve a deepening citizenship crisis that could upend the government.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s conservative coalition could lose two seats at by-elections next month after government lawmaker John Alexander on Saturday resigned from Parliament because he had likely inherited British citizenship from his English-born father.

Australia is rare if not unique in the world in banning dual nationals from sitting in Parliament. Pressure is growing to reform the 116-yearold constitution amid the growing uncertainty over how many by-elections might result from the current crisis and which party might end up forming government.

Turnbull’s conservative Liberal Party and the centre-left opposition Labor Party agreed to set a Dec 1 deadline for senators to provide documented evidence that they are solely Australian citizens.

Australian-born lawmakers will have to provide details of their parents and grandparents’ dates and countries of birth to demonstrate that they have not inherited a second nationality. Immigrant law- makers must document steps they have taken to renounce their original nationalities.

The bipartisan support ensures the Senate will endorse that agreement later yesterday.

Acting Prime Minister Julie Bishop said she expected the House of Representatives would endorse a similar citizenship registry when it next sits on Nov 27.

Having lost two seats and its majority in the House due to the citizenship crisis, the government could need the support of a single lawmaker from among the opposition and five independent legislators to get the House’s endorsement of such a register.

“It’s a good development. It’s a sensible way forward,” Bishop said.

Any lawmakers who remain under a cloud after declaring their citizenship status would be referred to the High Court to decide whether they were legally elected. A series of by-elections that could change the government could be scheduled for a single weekend early next year.

Yesterday, the government said it would invite the High Court to disqualify at least two opposition lawmakers from Parliament if they did not follow Alexander’s example by quitting over questions about whether they renounced British citizenship in time to legally run for election last year. — AP