Barnaby Joyce defends his decision to not stand down as citizenship High Court case continued

BARNABY Joyce has again been forced to defend his decision not to quit parliament immediately during the High Court citizenship saga.

BARNABY Joyce has again defended his decision not to quit parliament immediately and recontest his seat when he found out he had New Zealand citizenship.

On Saturday he said thinking politically, he would have preferred to go straight to the polls.

However, today he said he took on board the advice of the Solicitor-General rather than go to what could have been an unnecessary by-election.

“They say, ‘we think you are pretty well right’ there’s no point putting your electorate through a by-election and the costs involved if you don’t need to,” he told the Nine Network on Sunday.

“If I get advice from a doctor I don’t second guess them. Same goes for (advice from) the solicitor,” he told The Today Show.

“I accept the verdict … you don’t second guess the High Court.”

Barnaby Joyce meets up with Inverell Mayor Paul Harmon. Picture Peter Lorimer.

Mr Joyce has said he’s now “ready to put his best foot forward” after being endorsed as the Nationals candidate to contest the by-election in New England.

He said the reality of the High Court’s decision had “sunk in”, and now the pressure was off him so he could begin campaigning in his electorate.

“It’s quite good to have the pressure off and spending time talking to the people,” Mr Joyce told The Today Show..

“I don’t take anything for granted. I’m going to put my best foot forward.

“I’m going to campaign as hard as I can, and be humble … and work as hard as I can.”

The High Court on Friday ruled he was ineligible for election because he held New Zealand citizenship by descent from his father at the time.

He quickly renounced the citizenship and will now contest the seat of New England he’s held since 2013 to return to parliament at a by-election on December 2.

The Nationals leader says he’ll be focused on New England for the next five weeks.

“I am going to do my very best on their behalf to make sure I will continue the delivery that we have seen here in New England.” But one of those opponents will not be former independent MP Tony Windsor, who on Friday said he would not contest the poll.

Acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said Labor would stand a candidate in the by-election, but did not expect to win.

Attorney General George Brandis told Sky News he has no reason to believe any other member of the coalition government is a dual citizen.

Senator Brandis said the government was looking carefully at this situation.

“I do not think we will see a problem here but of course the Labor party will try to play games because they do not have an interest in steady government of the country,” he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will stand in as Australia's acting prime minister while Malcolm Turnbull conducts an overseas trip, following the dual citizenship crisis. Picture: AAP

Labor will be putting pressure on the Turnbull government following the citizenship fiasco that has left it without two of its cabinet ministers. Tanya Plibersek says the decision of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to allow Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash to remain in cabinet while the High Court determined their eligibility showed poor judgment.

“We’ve got a prime minister who’s been too weak to act throughout this sorry saga, who in fact defended and protected these ministers who were not eligible,” she told reporters on Saturday.

The High Court on Friday ruled five parliamentarians who hold dual citizenship constitutionally ineligible to nominate for parliament at the 2016 election. Ms Plibersek said Labor would look at all of the decisions made by the Nationals leader and deputy while they were technically ineligible to be in parliament. “Every person who is aggrieved, every organisation which is aggrieved by decisions made by Fiona Nash and Barnaby Joyce while they were illegitimately acting as cabinet ministers has a potential case here,” she said. She cited the penalty rates and banking Royal Commission issues Labor would look at.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull explains who is in charge while he is overseas. Picture: AAP

“That’s two examples of things that have been won or lost because of Barnaby Joyce’s illegitimate vote,” Ms Plibersek said.

“We’ll look at all of the decisions that have been made and we’ll consider our response to those decisions.” There will be at least one week, maybe two, that the Labor opposition will have the chance to exploit the weakened government.

Lower house crossbenchers Cathy McGowan and Rebekah Sharkie have indicated they will vote to allow the coalition to govern but will consider additional bills on merit.

Mr Turnbull is adamant he has a working majority in the parliament and is unconcerned.

“We will continue, as we have done, throughout all of the time since the last election, continue with getting on with the job, of delivering the outcomes,” he said.

Mr Turnbull will be in Israel this week for the centenary of the Battle of Beersheba commemorations, leaving Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as Acting Prime Minister.

Originally published as Barnaby Joyce defends his decision to not stand down as citizenship High Court case continued