Matt Canavan: Turnbull minister forced to quit cabinet after mum signs him up as Italian citizen
UPDATE: The High Court will decide the political fate of Turnbull Minister Matt Canavan after citizenship revelations.
NSW
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- Matt Canavan: Turnbull minister quits over dual citizenship
- Greens deputy Scott Ludlam has been exposed as a fake senator
THE High Court will decide the political fate of Turnbull Minister Matt Canavan after citizenship revelations.
This comes as Canavan was today accused of ‘sloppiness’ and chastised for blaming his mother after she signed him up for Italian citizenship without his knowledge.
The Nationals minister resigned from Cabinet last night becoming the third parliamentarian to be caught out in the widening citizenship bungle after declaring his Australian-born mother, whose parents were both born in Italy, applied for him to become an Italian citizen in 2006, when he was 25 years old.
The PM last week criticised two Greens senators who were also caught out by section 44 of the constitution, saying Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters showed incredible sloppiness.
But Senator Canavan’s Queensland colleague Ken O’Dowd admitted today the same can be said of Senator Canavan.
“The prime minister said it and whether he said it to the Greens or said it to anyone else it’s ... sloppy,” he told ABC radio. “I don’t think there’s much of an excuse anyone can offer.”
And Greens leader Richard Di Natale weighed in, saying it would been more appropriate for Canavan to have quit altogether.
“The advice we received was that ignorance is no excuse,” he said. “A real Italian never blames his mum.”
Mr Canavan, who had a tough upbringing, was born on the Gold Coast and grew up in the Brisbane suburb of Logan. He has never visited Italy or stepped foot in an Italian consulate.
The Government is seeking legal and constitutional advice as to whether Mr Canavan is a dual citizen, given the Italian citizenship was obtained without his knowledge or consent.
“Until last week, I had no suspicion that I could possibly be an Italian citizen,” he said.
“While I knew that my mother had become an Italian citizen, I had no knowledge that I myself had become an Italian citizen, nor had I requested to become an Italian citizen.
“My mother raised with me the possibility that I was in fact an Italian citizen on Tuesday. I have since then taken steps to check my citizenship status with the Italian authorities and that has confirmed that I was registered as an Italian citizen in January 2007.”
Fronting the media on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Canavan said his mum contacted him with the news that he was an Italian citizen after the citizenship scandal that saw the resignation of two Greens senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters.
The Italian authorities had confirmed, Mr Canavan said, that the application was not signed by him and he has received no correspondence about it.
“It is not my intention to resign from the Senate,” Mr Canavan said.
“However given the uncertainty around this matter, I will stand aside until the matter is finally resolved and resign as the Minster for Resources and Northern Australia.”
Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce will take on Mr Canavan’s ministerial responsibilities while legal advice is sought.
The pair are close, with Mr Canavan previously working for Mr Joyce.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was only told about Mr Canavan’s Italian citizenship crisis on Sunday. Labor Senator Sam Dastyari said Mr Canavan’s situation was reminiscent of Shane Warne blaming his mother for him taking a banned diuretic drug.
“We’ve all been embarrassed by our mothers before but this is really taking it to the next level,” he said.
“I know my mates’ mothers have secretly called up their son’s girlfriend, but I’ve never known anyone’s mum to secretly take out Italian citizenship.”
University of Sydney Law School’s immigration specialist Professor Mary Crock said potentially many more politicians could be totally unaware they hold dual citizenship because of their parent’s country of birth.
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She said citizenship by descent occurs in “most countries”.
“What is confusing people is that many countries automatically give citizenship to the children born of their nationals and I think that’s what has caught a lot of these people out,” Prof Crock said.
Full text of statement issued by Matthew Canavan
In 2006, my mother lodged documents with the Italian consulate in Brisbane to become an Italian citizen. In doing so, it would appear that she made an application for me to become an Italian citizen as well. I was 25 years old at the time.
While I knew that my mother had become an Italian citizen I had no knowledge that I myself had become an Italian citizen. Until last week I had no suspicion that I could be an Italian citizen. I was not born in Italy and have never been to Italy.
Following the reporting of Senator Ludlum and Senator Waters, my mother raised with me the possibility that I was an Italian citizen last week.
The Italian authorities have confirmed that the application for Italian citizenship was not signed by me. To my knowledge I have not received any correspondence from Italian authorities about my citizenship status, and they have not been able to provide any such records.
In the short time available I have not been able to obtain definitive legal advice as to whether my registration as an Italian citizen, without my knowledge or consent, was valid under Italian law. I am seeking to obtain that advice presently.
On the basis of the advice the Government has obtained it is not my intention to resign from the Senate.
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