Parliament returns with citizenship and economy dominating

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, February 5, 2018. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra Source: AAP

Dual citizenship for parliamentarians and the economy loomed large, along with foreign interference laws and plans for a new corruption watchdog.


Labor M-P Susan Lamb is hanging onto her seat despite questions about her British citizenship. 

Leader of the House, Christopher Pyne says the government would refer Ms Lamb's case to the High Court if she doesn't do the right thing and step down from her Brisbane seat. 

Mr Pyne says there is no way Ms Lamb can pretend she is not a British citizen. 

But Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke says the Labor M-P has taken every reasonable step to renounce U-K citizenship. 

He's told the A-B-C .. a process of mass High Court referral is the only sensible option. 

But Social Services Minister Dan Tehan says Labor is unreasonably using Mr Falinski's circumstances, which go back to the Holocaust and his parents fleeing Poland. 

He's told Sky News .. Ms Lamb's case is quite different. 

Question Time in federal parliament saw a re-hash of many of the key issues that dominated the closing weeks of parliament last year. 

Opposition leader Bill Shorten challenged the prime minister to justify tax cuts to big business while increasing the taxes of ordinary workers. 

In response, Mr Turnbull had this to say.    

Meanwhile, the prime minister has made light of Labor Party plans to establish a new corruption watchdog. 

The Opposition leader says if Labor takes office, it will install a National Integrity Commission to look into corruption across the government and public sector. 

The Coalition is as yet undecided on the plan.


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