Crossbench senator Nick Xenophon is the latest Australian politician caught up in the dual-citizenship scandal. Two Greens senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, resigned after realising they held dual citizenship. The High Court is to rule on five others who have discovered they unwittingly held dual citizenship.
The Australian explains that there are good reasons for Section 44 (i) of the Constitution: undivided loyalty is not too much to ask, especially when prime ministers, foreign ministers, trade ministers and defence ministers must negotiate with foreign nations on myriad issues where there will be common and opposed interests.
It also says the problem with section 44 (i) is not the clear obligation it imposes but the way that generous and obscure laws of other countries can bestow citizenship on people without their knowledge. Therefore, the parliament needs to find a better way to deal with this trap.
However, the paper expresses concern that the situation could be worse as other opposition MPs face questions.
The Australian argues that the time has come for an audit of all parliamentarians because it is fair that voters know exactly how this controversy applies to each politician and party given it could result in replacements or by-elections. And it pointedly says voters are entitled to be satisfied their politicians are eligible to sit in parliament, especially when the government holds power by a solitary seat and every Senate vote is crucial.
