Joyce ineligible for parliament
Australia’s deputy PM was found to have dual citizenship with New Zealand
Australia’s High Court ruled yesterday that Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is ineligible to remain in parliament, a stunning decision that cost the government its one-seat parliamentary majority and forced a by-election.
The Australian dollar fell a quarter of a US cent after the unexpected decision. Turnbull said he accepted the court’s ruling, even though it was “clearly not the outcome we were hoping for”.
Turnbull did not name a new deputy leader during a short news conference in Canberra after the court’s ruling.
The Australian leader had been scheduled to travel to Israel on Saturday for a weeklong visit but Sky Television reported he had decided to delay the trip indefinitely.
Turnbull’s centre-right coalition in now in a precarious position. His Liberal Party is the senior party in a coalition with the smaller National Party, which Joyce led.
He must now win the support of one of three independent lawmakers to keep his minority government afloat, with two sitting weeks of parliament left until it recesses for the year.
At least two independent lawmakers have promised their support.
The opposition Labor Party immediately went on the attack after the High Court ruling and threatened to launch a legal challenge to every decision made by Joyce since last year’s election.
Joyce was one of a group of lawmakers, known as the “Citizenship Seven”, whose eligibility to sit in parliament was thrown into doubt in recent months when it was found they were dual citizens, a status that is barred for politicians under Australia’s constitution to prevent split allegiances.
‘Citizenship Seven’
Turnbull is under added pressure because he refused to force Joyce to step aside while his case was considered by the High Court.
Joyce, whose New England electorate is in rural New South Wales state, renounced his dual New Zealand citizenship in August.
“... the business of government goes on”, Turnbull said as he confirmed that the New England by-election would be held on December 2.
Joyce confirmed he would stand in the by-election, which polling shows he has a strong chance of winning.