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".