Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

High Court ruling stokes citizenship saga

Four MPs will resign and face by-elections after the High Court's decision to rule Labor senator Katy Gallagher ineligible due to dual citizenship.

Rebekha Sharkie in Parliament
Rebekha Sharkie has resigned from parliament in the wake of a High Court ruling. (AAP)

CITIZENSHIP SAGA SPARKS BY-ELECTION BONANZA

LABOR

* Susan Lamb (Longman, Queensland, margin +0.8%)

Acquired British citizenship by descent through her Scottish-born father. She attempted to have it renounced but her application was refused on August 10, 2016. The government will fancy their chances in a by-election in Lamb's Queensland seat of Longman, where Labor have a razor-thin margin of less than one per cent.

* Justine Keay (Braddon, Tasmania, +2.2%)

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Keay acquired British citizenship through her father, but citizenship renunciation from UK Home Office was dated July 8, 2016. Former independent senator Jacqui Lambie has ruled out a tilt in the Tasmanian marginal seat.

* Josh Wilson (Fremantle, WA, +7.5%)

Born in Britain but citizenship renunciation from UK Home Office was dated June 24, 2016. Has a healthy margin in Fremantle, the seat of former Labor prime minister John Curtin.

CROSS BENCH

* Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, SA, +3.2-5.5%)

Born in the UK. Renounced UK citizenship on April 19, 2016 but renunciation was registered with the UK Home Office on June 29, 2016. The Liberal Party will zero in on Sharkie's Adelaide seat of Mayo, which she won from former Liberal minister Jamie Briggs. After South Australia's recent distribution, ABC election expert Antony Green puts Sharkie's notional margin over the Liberals at 5.5 per cent and Labor at 3.2 per cent.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world