LNP’s Angie Bell submitted false information on election form

Fears of another candidate eligibility crisis have been fuelled after a Gold Coast federal MP recorded false information on her official pre-election documents.

A GOLD Coast federal MP has ­denied submitting false ­information on an official candidate qualification form for the federal election, ­fuelling fears of another eligibility crisis.

As the Coalition clings to a two-seat majority in Parliament, it has emerged Moncrieff’s first-term LNP member Angie Bell wrote “non-applicable” when asked if she had any current or previous partners on a qualification checklist form, despite being in a committed relationship for almost 20 years.

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MPs who file incomplete application forms could be subject to legal action or even trigger a by-election if a ­challenge is made to the High Court.

However the LNP last night insisted that there was no issue with Ms Bell’s eligibility and that any errors on nomination forms could simply be amended.

Ms Bell said the error was a misunderstanding which she would address to avoid any doubt.

The former business consultant won the seat after a bitter preselection battle after the retirement of long-serving MP Steve Ciobo ahead of the election.

The qualification forms have become a crucial part of a candidate’s nomination since the citizenship scandal, which plunged the government in to crisis two years ago, sparking a series of by-elections.

Question seven of the form asks candidates whether they are aware of the citizenship status of their partners or spouses – both current and former, and instructs them to write “N/A… if they do not have a current or former spouse or similar partner”.

First-term Member for Moncrieff Angie Bell

Ms Bell’s qualification checklist

Ms Bell said she wrote “N/A” because she was not ­legally married to her partner, but “for the avoidance of doubt I have now provided additional detail”.

Ms Bell, who wrote “N/A”, has been in a relationship for 17 years and has spoken publicly about her loving stepchildren and “two grandsons who bring much, much joy”.

Ms Bell’s appointment helped deliver the coalition a slender majority in the federal parliament.

While the AEC website specifies that providing false or misleading information on the checklist can attract fines of up to $12,600 or 12 months jail, it is up to the High Court to prosecute any official complaints under Section 44 of the Australian Constitution.

However an LNP spokesman said the party had gone to great lengths to ensure all candidates were ­eligible to run, and any errors on nomination forms could be amended.

Labor declined to weigh in to the controversy.

The qualification checklist has taken on added urgency following the citizenship controversy of two years ago that forced a number of high-profile MPs, including former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan and Jacqui Lambie to contest by-elections for failing to disclose citizenship ties to other countries.