Politicians’ dual citizenship crisis: Labor MP latest to fall foul

A FEDERAL Labor MP applied to British authorities to renounce her UK citizenship only in the lead-up to the last federal election.

Justine Keay took Braddon for the ALP in last year’s federal election.

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A FEDERAL Labor MP from Tasmania is the latest politician to be caught up in Canberra’s citizenship scandal, with revelations she only applied to British authorities to renounce her UK citizenship in the lead-up to the last federal election.

As the dual citizenship crisis widens, with scrutiny over MPs on both sides of the house, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Labor MP Justine Keay is caught in a similar situation to One Nation­ Senator Malcolm Roberts, in that she only applied­ to renounce her UK citizenship shortly before the 2016 election.

Mr Roberts could have his case referred to the High Court. He renounced any citizenship he may have been entitled to on June 6, 2016, but did not receive confirmation­ until December 2016 — six months after he entered Parliament.

Braddon Labor candidate Justine Keay reacts to the close count at Burnie at the election.

Ms Keay, the MP for Braddon, is refusing to confirm whether British authorities had responded to her request to renounce her citizenship, and when that may have occurred.

“She had applied to renounce her UK citizenship prior to the issue of the writs and opening of nominations for the 2016 federal election. Her UK citizenship was renounced,” Ms Keay’s spokesman said.

The Liberal Party is also scrambling to revet federal MPs to ensure that all have relinquished any possible dual citizenship, before a crisis­ consumes the Turnbull government.

After losing two senators, the Greens face intense pressure to release documents showing the date Senator Nick McKim renounced his UK citizenship. He was born in London and moved to Australia when he was five years old.

Party officials spent much of yesterday trying to determine whether Melbourne MP Julia Banks held Greek citizenship before discovering she was in the clear.

The government holds a one-seat majority in the House of Representatives.

A senior Liberal source said those suspected of being dual citizens were being subject­ to a re-audit by the federal party. The vetting was done, in the first instance, during the preselection process at a state division level. The federal party is now stepping in to conduct more rigorous checks to ensure MPs with parents born overseas do not hold dual citizenship.

Queensland Liberal MP and government whip Bert van Manen has yet to produce documents showing he does not hold Dutch citizenship, given both his parents were born in the Netherlands. “I have confirmed citizenship has not been passed to me by descent,” he said.

Ms Banks was cleared last night by the Greek consulate which confirmed she had not taken up her right to acquire Greek citizenship.

If you are born to a parent with Greek nationality you can acquire citizenship. Other MPs born to Greek parents include Arthur Sinodinos­, Maria Vamvakinou and Nick Xenophon.

The scandal over dual citizenship engulfing federal Parliament began when a constitutional lawyer in Perth discovered Greens Senator Scott Ludlam held New Zealand citizenship.

He wrote to the Clerk of the Senate to advise that Senator Ludlam was in breach of the Constitution, advising the WA politician as a courtesy. The senator resigned shortly afterwards.

His colleague, Greens Senator Larissa Waters, checked her citizenship and also resigned upon discovering that she held Canadian citizenship because she was born in Canada while her Australian parents were studying.