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| Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash referred to high court over citizenship | Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash referred to high court over citizenship |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Turnbull government’s political crisis over dual citizenships has intensified, with the deputy leader of the National party, Fiona Nash, joining Barnaby Joyce in referring herself to the high court – in her case, on the basis she has British citizenship by descent. | The Turnbull government’s political crisis over dual citizenships has intensified, with the deputy leader of the National party, Fiona Nash, joining Barnaby Joyce in referring herself to the high court – in her case, on the basis she has British citizenship by descent. |
| Nash made a short, unheralded statement to the Senate on Thursday evening just before the adjournment confirming the likelihood of her dual citizenship. | Nash made a short, unheralded statement to the Senate on Thursday evening just before the adjournment confirming the likelihood of her dual citizenship. |
| She also made it plain that like Joyce, but unlike the resources minister and fellow National Matt Canavan, she intended to remain in her leadership and cabinet roles. | She also made it plain that like Joyce, but unlike the resources minister and fellow National Matt Canavan, she intended to remain in her leadership and cabinet roles. |
| Coalition elevates citizenship crisis into diplomatic incident with New Zealand | |
| The dual citizenship by descent is triggered by her Scottish-born father. Nash, who was born in Sydney in 1965, said that her father was born in Scotland in 1927 and she had little contact with him after her parents divorced when she was aged eight. | The dual citizenship by descent is triggered by her Scottish-born father. Nash, who was born in Sydney in 1965, said that her father was born in Scotland in 1927 and she had little contact with him after her parents divorced when she was aged eight. |
| “My parents always told me I was not a dual citizen,” Nash told the Senate. “My understanding was that to be a dual British citizen I would need to apply for it.” | “My parents always told me I was not a dual citizen,” Nash told the Senate. “My understanding was that to be a dual British citizen I would need to apply for it.” |
| Nash said she had sought advice on Monday from the UK Home Office and was advised by a caseworker that “on the basis of the limited facts I had provided I was a British citizen by descent, through my Scottish-born father”. | Nash said she had sought advice on Monday from the UK Home Office and was advised by a caseworker that “on the basis of the limited facts I had provided I was a British citizen by descent, through my Scottish-born father”. |
| The Turnbull government then sought further legal advice from the UK, which it received on Thursday, but Nash did not disclose its content. | The Turnbull government then sought further legal advice from the UK, which it received on Thursday, but Nash did not disclose its content. |
| The government has also taken advice from the solicitor general and, based on that, Nash declared she intended to remain in her leadership and cabinet roles. | The government has also taken advice from the solicitor general and, based on that, Nash declared she intended to remain in her leadership and cabinet roles. |
| Her case will be referred to the high court by the Senate when it next meets on 4 September. | Her case will be referred to the high court by the Senate when it next meets on 4 September. |
| The tumultuous events on Thursday night mean the entire federal Nationals leadership team now faces questions about their eligibility to be in parliament, along with Canavan, who is a dual citizen of Italy. | The tumultuous events on Thursday night mean the entire federal Nationals leadership team now faces questions about their eligibility to be in parliament, along with Canavan, who is a dual citizen of Italy. |
| The Nationals’ deputy leader referring herself to the court followed another day in which Labor continued its political assault on Joyce over his dual citizenship of New Zealand and, late on Thursday, the Ten Network also reported the LNP senator Barry O’Sullivan may also have problems associated with a family business. | The Nationals’ deputy leader referring herself to the court followed another day in which Labor continued its political assault on Joyce over his dual citizenship of New Zealand and, late on Thursday, the Ten Network also reported the LNP senator Barry O’Sullivan may also have problems associated with a family business. |
| The network reported O’Sullivan’s family’s construction company Newlands Civil Construction is subcontracted to work on a federally funded road project in Queensland. | The network reported O’Sullivan’s family’s construction company Newlands Civil Construction is subcontracted to work on a federally funded road project in Queensland. |
| In the register of senators’ interests, O’Sullivan lists a shareholding interest in Newlands Civil Construction Pty Ltd. | In the register of senators’ interests, O’Sullivan lists a shareholding interest in Newlands Civil Construction Pty Ltd. |
| But, in a statement, O’Sullivan’s office said he had no case to answer. “Senator O’Sullivan does not, either directly or indirectly, hold a pecuniary interest in any agreement with the public service of the commonwealth”. | But, in a statement, O’Sullivan’s office said he had no case to answer. “Senator O’Sullivan does not, either directly or indirectly, hold a pecuniary interest in any agreement with the public service of the commonwealth”. |
| “Importantly, a review by Newlands Civil Construction has proven that it does not hold any agreement with any company or entity that has an agreement with the public service of the commonwealth”. | “Importantly, a review by Newlands Civil Construction has proven that it does not hold any agreement with any company or entity that has an agreement with the public service of the commonwealth”. |
| Matt Canavan quits cabinet over Italian dual citizenship | |
| Section 44 of the constitution says parliamentarians cannot have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the public service of the commonwealth. | Section 44 of the constitution says parliamentarians cannot have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the public service of the commonwealth. |
| The Family First senator Bob Day got into trouble with the constitutional requirement because of an indirect interest in the lease of his Adelaide electorate office by the commonwealth. | The Family First senator Bob Day got into trouble with the constitutional requirement because of an indirect interest in the lease of his Adelaide electorate office by the commonwealth. |
| Political crisis overshadows media changes | Political crisis overshadows media changes |
| The government has been buffeted all week by constitutional issues, which have created a sense of political crisis around the government, and, in further bad news, the government’s effort to emerge from a chaotic political week with a legislative win was also rebuffed by the Nick Xenophon Team. | The government has been buffeted all week by constitutional issues, which have created a sense of political crisis around the government, and, in further bad news, the government’s effort to emerge from a chaotic political week with a legislative win was also rebuffed by the Nick Xenophon Team. |
| The NXT is holding out for a better deal on the Coalition’s media package. | The NXT is holding out for a better deal on the Coalition’s media package. |
| Xenophon told reporters late on Thursday talks over media changes had reached an impasse because the government was no longer prepared to countenance tax breaks for smaller publishers, which the NXT has been pushing. | Xenophon told reporters late on Thursday talks over media changes had reached an impasse because the government was no longer prepared to countenance tax breaks for smaller publishers, which the NXT has been pushing. |
| The government had previously signalled that it was open to considering tax incentives but has now backed off that position, with the treasurer, Scott Morrison, saying on Thursday the government “doesn’t look at these issues with blank cheque books”. | The government had previously signalled that it was open to considering tax incentives but has now backed off that position, with the treasurer, Scott Morrison, saying on Thursday the government “doesn’t look at these issues with blank cheque books”. |
| The government is under intense pressure from commercial media companies to pass its media package, which includes scrapping the two out of three rule, which prevents media moguls from controlling television, newspapers and radio stations in the same market. | The government is under intense pressure from commercial media companies to pass its media package, which includes scrapping the two out of three rule, which prevents media moguls from controlling television, newspapers and radio stations in the same market. |
| One Nation backs media changes in return for greater restrictions on ABC | |
| Xenophon has a list of demands he wants the government to consider before he will lend his support to the package. The current sticking point is a proposal to give publishers with a turnover of less than $25m a year a tax offset for employing journalists. | Xenophon has a list of demands he wants the government to consider before he will lend his support to the package. The current sticking point is a proposal to give publishers with a turnover of less than $25m a year a tax offset for employing journalists. |
| Despite signalling publicly last week he was open to tax incentives, the communications minister, Mitch Fifield, said on Thursday: “The government does not believe it is appropriate for tax subsidies to benefit foreign multinational media organisations. | Despite signalling publicly last week he was open to tax incentives, the communications minister, Mitch Fifield, said on Thursday: “The government does not believe it is appropriate for tax subsidies to benefit foreign multinational media organisations. |
| “Above all, government intervention in commercial media can only be contemplated when the implications for freedom of speech and freedom of the press are fully understood. | “Above all, government intervention in commercial media can only be contemplated when the implications for freedom of speech and freedom of the press are fully understood. |
| “The government considers that any policy interventions in this space deserve careful consideration and extensive public debate.” | “The government considers that any policy interventions in this space deserve careful consideration and extensive public debate.” |
| The government will need the NXT’s support to get the package through the parliament. | The government will need the NXT’s support to get the package through the parliament. |
| Xenophon said on Thursday he was extending an offer to the government to continue talking, rather than scuttle the whole package. | Xenophon said on Thursday he was extending an offer to the government to continue talking, rather than scuttle the whole package. |
| “We want to calmly, methodically go through these issues and I want to talk to media organisations – large and small – in this country about this.” | “We want to calmly, methodically go through these issues and I want to talk to media organisations – large and small – in this country about this.” |
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