Senator calls for suspension as scandal deepens
AUSTRALIA: Conservative senator Cory Bernardi has called for Australia’s parliament to be suspended until the constitutional crisis engulfing a growing number of MPS can be resolved.
The High Court will determine whether a slew of MPS, including Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, were eligible to be elected, after revelations they may have held dual citizenship. Both major parties have threatened to refer a raft of other MPS to the court.
Section 44 of Australia’s constitution prevents people with dual citizenship from becoming members of parliament.
Bernardi, who has led the Australian Conservatives after breaking away from the Liberal Party, said the crisis had caused people to lose faith in the federal parliament.
‘‘I believe there is only one way forward for this parliament, and that is for the prime minister to prorogue the parliament [and] effectively end this session pending the outcome of the High Court, pending any by-elections that may be necessary,’’ he said yesterday.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan is the latest to face scrutiny over his citizenship. He took to social media yesterday to say he had renounced his British citizenship in 2004 before entering parliament.
Liberal frontbencher Matt Canavan resigned from cabinet last month after it was revealed he had Italian citizenship. Greens deputy leaders Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam resigned from parliament after discovering they were dual nationals, while One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts will face the High Court over questions about possible British citizenship.
Joyce renounced his New Zealand citizenship only days ago, and will also face judgment from the High Court.
The ruling Coalition has been contemplating referring four additional Labor MPS to the High Court, while Labor claims to have a hit list of eight Coalition MPS with questions to answer.
Crossbench senators have been calling for an independent audit of MPS to find those who are dual citizens, a move Labor and the Coalition have rebuffed.
‘‘I think both sides of politics know people on their own side who [are] going to be caught up in it,’’ Greens leader Richard Di Natale said last month. ‘‘What we need is a thorough and independent audit of the status of every member of parliament.’’
New Zealand-born senator Derryn Hinch tweeted his support for an independent audit yesterday. ‘‘The Government or ALP could get dual citizenship out of headlines if they agreed with Senate cross-bench and voted for independent auditor.’’
It was a sentiment backed by South Australian senator Nick Xenophon. ’’This is taking a lot of oxygen from the business of governing, and the business of MPS doing their job, and the sooner we have an audit, the sooner that there’s a proper process, the better off we’ll all be,’’ he said. - Fairfax