Senator Nick Xenophon becomes the latest Australian politician under dual citizenship cloud
Government’s majority was placed in jeopardy earlier this week after deputy prime minister said he may be ineligible for parliament due to New Zealand citizenship by descent
A crisis engulfing Australia’s parliament has widened after a key independent senator became the seventh parliamentarian referred to the High Court to determine if his dual citizenship makes him ineligible to sit in parliament.
Senator Nick Xenophon’s announcement on Saturday that he holds dual British citizenship came as the future of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s government hangs in the balance, with questions surrounding the eligibility of key members of his government and cross-benchers threatening supply should it be stripped of its one-seat majority.
His father was born in New Zealand. Joyce has since relinquished New Zealand citizenship, but is awaiting the High Court ruling, along with several other politicians who believe they may have dual citizenship.
The citizenship crisis, based on a 116-year-old law which demands an elected lawmaker only have Australian citizenship, has rocked the Australian parliament, ensnaring three government members, three Green party MPs and Xenophon.
The great irony here is that my father left Cyprus in order to escape British colonial rule
Xenophon said on Saturday he had received advice overnight from the UK Home Office that, due to a “rare peculiarity”, they considered him a British overseas citizen.