The National and Greens parties have been labelled “sloppy” by Cathy McGowan as the number of MPs embroiled in the dual citizenship drama continues to rise.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Indi MP said it was disappointing the Nationals leader and deputy leader, Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash, both signed statutory declarations saying they were only Australian citizens, without real investigation.
“I think it’s sloppy behaviour and the parties really do need to clean up their act,” she said.
“To find that serious leadership in the country haven't done their homework, and then they say they didn’t know. At the exact same time we expect more from anyone who applies for social security, even threatening to do drug tests on people.”
Ms McGowan called on Mr Joyce to step down from his agriculture portfolio until the High Court made a decision.
“I don’t see any reason why he hasn’t stepped down, I think he should,” she said.
“Is it because he’s being protected? Is the arrangement that the Nationals and the Liberals have with each other?
“Clearly it puts the Prime Minister in a difficult position, but it puts the country in a more difficult position.”
Senator Nash and Nick Xenophon were the latest two MPs to be referred to the High Court after being advised they could be British citizens by descent, Senator Nash through her Scottish mother and Senator Xenophon through his Cypriot father who lived in a British colony.
Ms McGowan said the issue had dominated and distracted the Parliament for weeks, while she was trying to discuss other issues.
“I’m terrified of the thought of going back and facing another week like this one without some resolution,” she said.
Farrer MP Sussan Ley said she felt for her good friend and “dinky-di Australian” Senator Nash, but denied the government was in crisis.
“It's just really bad luck and while I don't want to reflect on what the High Court's considerations are, I believe she will remain a senator in our Parliament for a long time,” she said.
“It's unusual because so many members of Parliament are being referred, but it's quite within the ambit of what the High Court does, what the government does.
“We're continuing to pass laws, we're continuing to govern in the interests of Australians, it's not a crisis and I believe we'll come out of this in a few weeks time and it will be business as usual.”
