Australia’s government in crisis as deputy PM is ejected from parliament, costing Turnbull his majority
High Court rules that Barnaby Joyce and four other lawmakers were ineligible for election because of dual citizenship
Australia’s High Court ruled on Friday 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. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm 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 soon after the court’s ruling.
The Australian leader had been expected to travel to Israel on Saturday for a week-long visit, but a spokesman said his departure has now been delayed and new travel arrangements were still being finalised.
Turnbull’s centre-right coalition is now in a precarious position. His Liberal Party is the senior party in a coalition with the smaller National Party, which Joyce led.