Australian citizenship threatens government with nine MPs in doubt

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and opposition leader Bill Shorten lashed out at each over how adequately lawmakers from both sides had disclosed their citizenship. Dual citizens are ineligible for elected office under Australia’s constitution.

Parliament is due to debate on Wednesday a Labor proposal to send the cases of another nine lawmakers to the High Court, including four members of Turnbull’s centre-right government.
Turnbull’s tenuous hold on power would come under threat if any of his four coalition colleagues are found to be dual citizens — which would mean they must resign from parliament and by-elections ordered for their seats.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce briefly lost his position when it was found he also held New Zealand citizenship but won his seat back in a by-election last week.