Arrivederci, Minister
Canavan stands down in latest citizenship furore
RISING star Matt Canavan sensationally stood down from Malcolm Turnbull’s Cabinet last night after learning he could be ineligible for Parliament because his mother tried to make him an Italian citizen 11 years ago.
As the Government scrambled for legal advice amid fears they could lose one of their best performers and a future deputy prime minister, the shell-shocked Queensland Senator told the Bulletin he needed to put matters in perHe spective, “because I have a beautiful wife and five kids”.
Under Section 44 of the Constitution, a citizen of two or more countries is ineligible for Parliament.
Southport-born Senator Canavan, a Catholic and a devoted son, was told by his mother, Maria, last week that she had lodged documents with the Italian consulate in Brisbane for herself and all three of her children to become Italian resident in 2006 without his knowledge.
was 25 years old at the time and never signed any documents. The documents were registered in a small village in Lozzo di Cadore, 120km north of Venice, a former home to his deceased grandparents.
Last night, Senator Canavan said he would step down from his Resources and Northern Australia portfolios, but would remain in the Senate until there was clear legal advice about whether he was validly elected in 2013. The Senate next Tuesday will move to refer the matter for determination by the High Court.
Highly placed sources said Senator Canavan has a good case because he never signed a document, was not aware he was potentially an Italian citizen and could not take reasonable steps to renounce the citizenship if he did not know.
“While I knew that my mother had become an Italian citizen, I had no knowledge that I myself had become an Italian citizen,’’ Senator Canavan said last night.
“Until last week, I had no suspicion that I could be an Italian citizen. I was not born in Italy and have never been to Italy. Following the reporting of Senator (Scott) Ludlam and Senator (Larissa) Waters (who resigned from the Senate after learning they were dual citizens), my mother raised with me the possibility that I was an Italian citizen last week.
“The Italian authorities have confirmed that the application for Italian citizenship was not signed by me.”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce would look after Senator Canavan’s portfolios until his status was resolved.