Deputy leader of the Nationals Fiona Nash is the latest politician to be ensnared by the citizenship fiasco, revealing she is a British citizen by descent.

The revelation comes just days after the leader of her party, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, revealed he was a citizen of New Zealand.

Senator Nash said she had sought advice of the UK Home Office on her citizenship status after Mr Joyce's statement on Monday.

"By Monday evening, I was advised that a caseworker at the UK Home Office was of the view that, on the basis of the limited facts that I had provided, I was a British citizen by descent through my Scottish-born father," she said.

Senator Nash said her mother was born in Australia and was an Australian citizen, but her father was born in Scotland in 1927.

"I was born in Sydney in 1965. My parents divorced when I was eight and my mother raised me," she said.

"I had very little contact with my father throughout his life, and he died nine years ago. My mother died five years ago.

"Growing up, my parents always told me that I was not a dual citizen.

"My understanding since early childhood was that in order to be a dual British citizen I would need to apply for it.
"Indeed, an internet search reveals a host of websites that say having a Scottish-born father allows one to apply for citizenship, but mention nothing of automatic citizenship by descent."

Nash will not stand aside from portfolio

Senator Nash will now be referred to the High Court along with Mr Joyce, fellow Nationals senator Matt Canavan, One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, and former Greens senators Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, who have already resigned.

She said she had spoken with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull a short time ago and the Federal Government had sought advice from the solicitor-general.

"I can advise honourable senators, that on the basis of the solicitor-general's advice, the Prime Minister sees no reason for me to stand aside from my portfolio responsibilities," she said.

Senator Nash is the Minister for Regional Development and Regional Communications.

She has represented the Nationals in the Senate since 2005, and has served as deputy leader of the party since February 2016.

Nationals whip John Williams said he did not know Senator Nash's citizenship was in doubt.

"This is a decision for the courts and let's see how it all pans out — but thanks for the surprise," he said.

Labor questions why Nationals held 'to lesser standard'

Labor senator Katy Gallagher said Mr Turnbull needed to explain why he not asked Mr Joyce and Senator Nash to stand down.

"Senator Nash's statement means the entire National Party leadership is now facing disqualification from the Parliament," she said.

"Malcolm Turnbull needs to explain why he is holding Mr Joyce and now Senator Nash to a lesser standard than Matt Canavan and not requiring them to stand down," she added.
Senator Gallagher said it was unacceptable Senator Nash had stayed quiet about her citizenship doubts since Monday.

"As Senator Nash admitted, she has known since Monday that she was a dual citizen, yet waited until one minute before the Senate rose for a two week break to inform the Parliament," she said.

"This is simply not good enough."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-17/fiona-nash-says-she-is-a-british-citizen-will-not-stand-aside/8817998




she's hanging onto her benefits for dear life. Refuses to do the right thing and resign despite admitting she's a pommie citizen

Link.

And there you were, getting up Herbert!

::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

What is the  strategy?

Are they  just going to bunker down and drag out the high court cases?

Francis wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 9:58pm:

What is the  strategy? Are they  just going to bunker down and drag out the high court cases?

Libtard Labor , they're always stacked with Patsy's that rule in favour of incumbent , be interesting to see how they spin Barnaby , I know he will get away with it because of status , I hope the fellow libtards who rank lower in chain of command realise how worthless they really are

They do gauge public response however , if you limp noodles would march on the issues it would make a difference

Francis wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 9:58pm:

What is the  strategy? Are they  just going to bunker down and drag out the high court cases?

Call a new election and lets clean out the swamp :D LOL

Aussie wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 9:47pm:

Link. And there you were, getting up Herbert! ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

didn't see it ::)

Sir lastnail wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 10:31pm:

Francis wrote on Aug 17th, 2017 at 9:58pm: What is the  strategy? Are they  just going to bunker down and drag out the high court cases? Call a new election and lets clean out the swamp :D LOL

exactly

Francis wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 9:58pm:

What is the  strategy? Are they  just going to bunker down and drag out the high court cases?

seems to be their tactic

they should face a $2000 fine for each and every day they persisit without resigning.

This is a joke: it's time to go back to the polls!

No one wants BARNABY-NET let's face it!

The Hi Court will fix this silly mess up.

But when?

Two years time?

They all need to resign.

John Smith wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 11:40pm:

Francis wrote on Aug 17th, 2017 at 9:58pm: What is the  strategy? Are they  just going to bunker down and drag out the high court cases? seems to be their tactic they should face a $2000 fine for each and every day they persisit without resigning.

Agreed. make it $10,000

Never fear, Mal will pull a swifty with his friends in the Hi Court.

The whole farce is just a distraction to send the Lefties into a tizz.

juliar wrote on Aug 18^th, 2017 at 12:25am:

Never fear, Mal will pull a swifty with his friends in the Hi Court. The whole farce is just a distraction to send the Lefties into a tizz.

juliar has the world on a string just by voting Liberal  ;D

juliar has the world on a string just by voting Liberal  ;D


juliar has the world on a string just by voting Liberal  ;D








juliar has the world on a string just by voting Liberal  ;D

Labor ran foul of section 44 in 1992 Sykes v Cleary in 1992. The case disqualified Independent MP for Wills Phil Cleary for holding an “office of profit under the Crown” by Section 44(iv) of the Constitution. This is another archaic part of Section 44, but I won’t delve into its difficulties here.

The Sykes v Cleary judgement also examined the citizenship status of Cleary’s election opponents. The Liberal candidate was born in Switzerland, was a naturalised Australian citizen, but still had Swiss citizenship. The Labor candidate was Greek born and caught in the same trap, a naturalised Australian but still possessing Greek citizenship.

The majority of the High Court ruled that both were disqualified as they had not attempted to rid themselves of their foreign citizenship.

At that point it put procedures in place to ensure that it's candidates would be covered. It appears that the coalition failed to learn this lesson. Hence is in the current crisis.

Giggle .......lol......ROTFLOL

Not a single Labor MP or Senator yet? I smell a rat.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 18^th, 2017 at 8:11am:

Not a single Labor MP or Senator yet? I smell a rat.

Read above

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 18^th, 2017 at 8:11am:

Not a single Labor MP or Senator yet? I smell a rat.

then clean your house. :D :D

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 18^th, 2017 at 8:11am:

Not a single Labor MP or Senator yet? I smell a rat.

The ALP check their candidates so it is unlikely they are effected by this.

It's time we had an election.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 18^th, 2017 at 8:11am:

Not a single Labor MP or Senator yet? I smell a rat.

Bid of bad luck that one mate  :)

Surely the one laughing the loudest is Ms Hanson. Who remembers this:

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is not welcome in Australian politics.

Ms Hanson, a populist firebrand who champions an anti-immigration agenda, is standing for a Senate seat in Queensland.

"Pauline Hanson is not a welcome presence on the Australian political scene - remember she was chucked out of the Liberal party," the prime minister told reporters in Sydney today.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/05/31/15/09/pauline-hanson-not-welcome-in-australian-politics-turnbull

We now find we have people collecting the Queen's shilling but they are not entitled to do so. I wonder if boy wonder Turnbull is disturbed by fraudsters in parliament.