Another Labor MP ignores citizenship questions
WEST Australian MP Brian Mitchell may have been an Irish citizen at the time of the federal election, the latest in a string of Labor MPs who have citizenship questions but are refusing to provide proof of renunciation.
The revelation follows the dual citizenship fiasco yesterday hitting the High Court, which is forcing the Turnbull government to wait until October to decide the fate of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and a number of other parliamentarians.
The High Court yesterday heard it was One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, also under a cloud, who had pushed the hearing dates back by more than a month.
Mr Joyce and Senator Roberts are joined by Regional Development Minister Fiona Nash, former resources minister Matt Canavan, key crossbencher Nick Xenophon and two former Greens senators in having their eligibility to sit in Parliament questioned under section 44 of the Constitution.
Senator Roberts’s barrister Robert Newlinds revealed to the court the One Nation senator had been sent a renunciation form by the British Home Office after the election, after which he had received confirmation he was no longer a British citizen. He said it was extremely unlikely his client would be ready for court by September.
While those cases remain in court, Labor has refused to provide proof where dual citizenship questions have arisen.
Mr Mitchell joined Tasmanian Labor MP Justine Keay in renouncing his citizenship in 2016, but would only say the timing was “well before the election”.
Mr Mitchell’s mother was born in Ireland.