Four Labor politicians (and one independent) were booted from parliament on Wednesday, as part of the ongoing drama around dual citizenship that's entangled 15 politicians.
And now Labor leader Bill Shorten has had to answer questions about WA backbencher Anne Aly over her Egyptian citizenship after The Australian newspaper revealed she had not uploaded any evidence to the citizenship registry to show she was eligible to sit in parliament.
Bill Shorten on Anne Aly's renunciation documents. "I think she'll have to make that public". "I've asked her to reconfirm". #citizenship #auspol @SBSNews https://t.co/jcR1PxGUBA
Shorten has been called a hypocrite for attacking other political parties for having dual citizens and saying Labor had "the strictest processes in place to ensure all candidates are compliant with the constitution prior to their nomination for election".
Shorten has been left with egg on his face after misleading voters for months over the dual citizens in his ranks. Our front page tomorrow. @wrongdorey https://t.co/vU27PGtz5P
He's being accused of running a "protection racket" for the three Labor politicians who resigned, allowing them to stay in parliament on the taxpayer's dime. Which is ironic because in November Shorten accused the government of running a citizenship "cover-up".
The citizenship crisis must end
Shorten's not the only Labor politician in a glass house who's been caught throwing stones.
Remember when Brian Mitchell called an ABC journalist a maggot for asking Justine Keay about her dual citizenship status? https://t.co/Z26ATRZ95E
These tweets from David Feeney – who was forced to resign from parliament after it was revealed he too was a dual citizen – are pretty awks.
Another day, another #qt & yet again Barnaby's citizenship saga held centre stage, with Turnbull Govt unable to change the topic #auspol https://t.co/U30Pc5eOP3
I don't get this Mr Darcy reference...
Not pulling any punches on @abcnews tonight: @andrewprobyn says ‘Turnbull’s been Agriculture Minister since Barnaby Joyce was felled by the High Court. He's seen a lemon or two...’ #auspol #libspill https://t.co/ne7wkmeP4x
Here's Feeney laying into fellow dual citizen and former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts.
@SenatorMRoberts Maybe you should be spending less time denying the science of climate change, and more working on your High Court case? #justsaying #auspoll https://t.co/AoyHdtNLaZ
Here's Labor's shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus saying Turnbull has been derelict in his duties as PM.
The #Citizenship7 High Court decision was designed to produce stability of government. All Turnbull and his govt have done since is create chaos and instability. Shocking dereliction of duty as PM #auspol
And that the government doesn't respect the Australian Constitution.
Talk of witch hunts is rubbish. This is about whether this govt has a legal majority or not. Where is the respect for our constitution?
Former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan said the prime minister was reckless.
High Court exposes Turnbull's born-to-rule mentality & recklessness by rejecting Turnbull's shoddy legal case #auspol
Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said that Turnbull and Joyce "conned" the Australian people.
Turnbull & Joyce knew they had little chance in the High Court. They conned the Oz people for their own political gain https://t.co/zhK1ap7LTl
He also accused the government of not respecting the constitution.
We can't expect people to respect the Parliament if the Parliament isn't prepared to respect the Constitution #qt #auspol
Here's backbencher Rob Mitchell mocking minister Matt Canavan ... who the High Court found NOT to be a dual citizen.
@RenInOz @vanbadham #citizenship
Mitchell also had a go at the Liberals for not reading the Australian Electoral Commission's nomination form.
@michellegrattan clearly not and clearly they dont read the nomination form page 1 "*Answering ‘Yes’ to the question about eligibility under section 44 of the Constitution asserts eligibility. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence"
Here he is having a go at the Greens.
Complying with the constitution of this nation is not a technicality Peter https://t.co/OlccXzrLlA
Just gotta do your checks!
@TMMQUINN2015 @MikeCarlton01 Just gotta do your checks just like al the other conditions in S44
I don't think Bronwyn Bishop was a dual.
Being asked about citizenship is starting to catch up to did you come by chopper #auspol
Tasmanian senator Helen Polley said Malcolm Turnbull was treating parliament with "utter contempt".
Turnbull is treating the Parliament with utter contempt. Joyce must stand aside until High Court determines his legitimacy #auspol #politas
All we've seen from the Libs since the High Court decision is division and chaos. But Turnbull says he's having fun... #auspol #politas
She said the government was in "deep trouble" after former minister Fiona Nash revealed she was a dual.
Sen Nash in adjournment announced she is a dual citizenship British. Gov in deep trouble. #auspol #politas
She accused the former Brit of disrespecting the Australian people.
My qt in QT to Min Nash re British citizenship was met with disrespect to Aust people. #politics #Auspol #Citizenshipchaos. #Turnbullchaos
Backbencher Brian Mitchell said former Greens senator Scott Ludlam's dual citizenship was a "bone-headed mistake".
@michellegrattan Sad to see the bloke go but no. If you're born in a Commonwealth country you assume dual citizenship. Bone-headed mistake, very heavy price.
He said the High Court's decision to boot five politicians last year was "not a shock" ruling.
Barnaby Joyce and four senators ruled ineligible in shock High Court ruling https://t.co/CHRQhUvRQu via @theage NOT A SHOCK RULING!
Mitchell called on Turnbull to not cover up the citizenship of his colleagues.
Yesterday all MPs were to declare their citizenship history and documents to the parliament. At least 5 Government MPs did not. Will @TurnbullMalcolm show leadership or will he fold, again. #borntorule #auspol #differentrules
Ross Hart called the prime minister's prediction that Barnaby Joyce would be safe the "greatest resignation note of the 21st Century".
"And the High Court will so hold". Greatest resignation note of the 21st Century. #auspol https://t.co/uulHZcJz5Y
Stephen Jones called for universal disclosure to solve the citizenship crisis.
BREAKING: Labor calls for universal disclosure to the Parliament for all MPs and Senators to resolve the Government citizenship crisis. https://t.co/d4dma24pbB
Labor senator Anthony Chisholm accused Turnbull of running a protection racket for John Alexander.
Becoming clear that Turnbull's citizenship proposal yesterday wasn't to clean up the mess, it was an attempt to protect John Alexander.
Murray Watt accused former attorney-general George Brandis of not understanding "reasonable steps".
It is a real concern that the Attorney-General of Australia cannot distinguish between MPs/Senators who have taken reasonable steps to renounce their citizenship and those who did nothing. https://t.co/NoDRj3OxNg
Stephen Jones helpfully pointed out Section 44 of the Australian Constitution has been around since 1901.
It’s not like s44 has crept up on us.....1901 .... https://t.co/qyV1ZV9wnK
He had a go at the government for proposing a referendum on Section 44.
Turnbull buries plan for constitutional recognition of First Australians last week but now seriously proposes a referendum on s44 #auspol
He then doubled down and said that the Greens and Nationals didn't do their "due diligence" before nominating.
Greens & Nationals now ask Parliament to do the due diligence that they should've done before nominating. It's not like s44 is a new thing.