The Prime Minister says he will use the government's numbers in parliament to refer to the High Court any Labor or crossbench M-P who potentially has citizenship doubts.Malcolm Turnbull says the move is a matter for conscience, and not about targeting political opponents. But Labor says it is unacceptable that only government ministers can refer M-Ps to the High Court. Preeti McCarthy reports.
The family history and citizenship details of federal politicians will be made public this week (Monday for Senators, Wednesday lower house MPs).
Senators had until Friday afternoon to submit their forms, while politicians in the House of Representatives have until 5pm Tuesday.
The Prime Minister says he has seen the Coalition M-Ps' paperwork, and he's satisfied there are no more government M-Ps who are dual citizens.
Malcolm Turnbull has told Sky News, he is prepared to refer Labor M-Ps who have potential dual citizenship to the High Court.
"You would have to say they (a number of Labor MPs who have admitted to British citizenship) a very likely to be found ineligible by the High Court. The High Court found Barnaby Joyce ineligible because he had been a New Zealand citizen -- and he didn't even know he was a New Zealand citizen. Labor has members who knew they were UK citizens, but did not have their paperwork done in time to have their UK citizenship brought to an end before they nominated. So clearly they should go to the High Court."
Nine federal politicians have been found ineligible by the High Court to serve in parliament because of their dual citizenship status, which is barred by section 44 of the Constitution.
None of the M-Ps are from the Labor Party.
Mr Turnbull says his decision to make referrals is not about political retribution.
"We can't in good conscience fail to refer anyone - whether on our side, or on Labor's side, or on the cross bench - to the High Court if it is clear there are substantial grounds for believing that they are ineligible to sit in the parliament. And then let the High Court decide."
Labor M-P Tony Burke says it is appalling that (under the Standing Orders in the House of Representatives) only government ministers can make referrals to the High Court.
He says Labor will move a motion in parliament (as early as Monday) to change that situation.
"Up until now this hasn't been relevant because referrals had only happened when people had come forward themselves. Mr Turnbull has made clear the rules have changed. Well, if the rules have changed then they don't only change for his political opponents. They have got to change for the Liberal Party as well. And either side of politics must be able to move referrals to the High Court."
He says Labor is confident its vetting processes are robust.
"We know that any of our people who had a form of foreign citizenship took reasonable steps. We also know that if there is anyone on the government's side who had a foreign citizenship. We know from a clear example of what we have seen already that none of them took any steps at all. And that is what we will be dealing with as soon as the information(citizenship disclosures)is public."
Meanwhile, former senators Jacqui Lambie, Stephen Parry and Skye Kakoschke-Moore face a High Court hearing on December 8th after discovering they held dual citizenship.
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