Dual Citizenship Crisis - s 44(i)

[Jezza]

I actually think the provisions contained within s 44 are appropriate.

It's incompetent politicians who don't seem to follow it though.

[stui magpie]

Litle bill late to the party, but an audit is sensible.

Do it once, leave S44 alone and put the onus on parties to make sure people are eligible before they get pre selection

[Culprit]

I don't see it as a back flip, I see it as a smart move by Shorten and the ALP. The ALP have stated all along they have a system in place and they believe that all their MP's and Senators are not dual citizens. The LNP tried numerous times to drag the ALP into the fiasco and all those attempts failed. Remember they called for Bill Shorten to provide proof and that made them look like idiots. I would suggest all this time Shorten and the ALP have hit everyone of their MP's and Senators to double/triple check. Now after the latest scandal and the Public outrage Shorten see's this as a way forward to clear the air for all MP's and Senators and in the process he will be seen as a leader and this is where Turnbull fails and continues to fail. If the audit exposes more LNP MP's and Senators as dual citizens, then that is the icing on the cake. Shorten can't really lose, if an ALP MP or Senator is exposed then the Shorten can say that the ALP called for the audit and the ALP will now have to alter it's checking system. They then score more political points (That is what this is about) and push that the LNP fought the audit all the way.

[watt price tully]

Litle bill late to the party, but an audit is sensible.

Do it once, leave S44 alone and put the onus on parties to make sure people are eligible before they get pre selection

I think you might have missed the politics here.

When the goverment is drowning why throw them a lifeline? why take the limelight? Let them stew in the media spotlight and the public eye making yourself a small target in the process.

It's about timing too.

[ronrat]

I think you might have missed the politics here.

When the goverment is drowning why throw them a lifeline? why take the limelight? Let them stew in the media spotlight and the public eye making yourself a small target in the process.

It's about timing too.[/quote]

The media may be all over it but for the love of Mike the public don't really give a toss. Migrants or the children of migrants may well think that even if you are born in Australia you are not welcome in Parliament. In many ways it could even backfire and this maybe why the ALP stepped back. The public may even be confused or angry. Dragged back to an election to relect a person who was deemed a citizen by another sovereign nation that the politician has never even been in.

What also gets me is what role has ASIO and other security agencies etc played. When I applied for Top Secret clearance (now lapsed) I had to provide so many documents of my PARENTS life that it took me a month or so to get it all together. Then they lost tem and I had to start all over agin as they needed witnessed copies. I went through a vigorous interview. Now assuming Joyce and a few others have a seat on security councils etc you would have thought some bastard could have worked this out years ago. Err sir, but you are eliig ble to be a NZ citizen. Could have been done years ago and simply fixed as an administrative oversight.

You would also have thought that by now every MP and Senator would have staffers chasing this stuff up all over the place. An audit is a waste of time.

Now the courts will be clogged up, lawyers will make a fortune, the electoral commission will be in overdrive and the public thinks "Why".

[think positive]

[HAL]

A lot of practice.

[David]

[ronrat]

[Mugwump]

Rupert Murdoch can actually renounce his Australian citizenship for that of another nation, yet own a large chunk of our media, with far greater influence than a backbencher. Our head of state is British (and probably notionally and lawfully Australian, not sure about that). Half of our parliamentarians own negatively geared property as they vote on the laws affecting negative gearing. Many Australians have dual nationality, but parliamentarians cannot represent this group, by law.

As conflicts of interest go, this is subsumed by much bigger issues. While it is the law, it must be followed, but they should hurry up and get it changed. Much more important than their ludicrous postal pleb.

[David]

Well said, Mugwump!

[David]

[Culprit]

Turnbull's move doesn't hold anyone accountable if they lie. It's not like it's a statutory declaration.

Turnbull warned incorrect or false statements would be "a serious breach of [parliamentary] privilege". He declined to nominate any specific penalty but said political consequences alone would be "very dramatic" and noted parliament could impose further penalties.

It's a penalty without knowing what the penalty will be. The penalty will be applied by fellow MP's and we all know how that works. Just make it that if you fail to check and declare you have to pay every cent back. Money talks all languages.

[Mountains Magpie]

How about "If you're born in Australia you can serve in local/state/federal parliament. If you're not you can't".

Or is this too simple?

MM

[Mugwump]