PM, Shorten fail to strike citizenship deal

The PM and Opposition Leader have been unable to strike an agreement over the ongoing crisis despite a two-hour meeting.

A meeting between Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull has failed to resolve the citizenship crisis. Picture: Kym Smith

Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have failed to strike an agreement to deal with the citizenship drama after a two-hour meeting in Melbourne.

The Prime Minister said it was a “constructive discussion” but the Opposition Leader sought advice on some drafting changes to the government’s proposal.

Mr Turnbull said both leaders agreed they wanted the issue resolved by the end of the parliamentary year.

“We are certainly agreed on the need for disclosure and of the kind that I’ve set out in the resolution and we also agreed that the matter must be dealt with before the end of the year,” Mr Turnbull said.

“The disclosures should be made before the end of the year and the house and the Senate should have the opportunity, having considered those disclosures, whether any members or senators should be referred to the High Court.

“I do think it is important to get on with it, because we need to ideally be able to say to members and senators there is complete bipartisan agreement on the way in which the disclosure will be done and so people will be getting all of their paperwork into shape, into the correct form well in advance of the parliament coming back and the resolutions being passed.”

Mr Turnbull said the two parties were negotiating on the 21-day time frame given to MPs to provide proof they are eligible to sit in parliament to the register of members interests.

He added the there may need to be further sitting days than what is scheduled to deal with the issue.

“I want to make sure we have enough time for the disclosure requirements to be complied with, enough time for the parliament to consider it and vote on referrals by the end if the year,” he said.

“It is important to settle the terms of the resolution as soon as possible, I would have like to have done it today, I was ready to do it today.

“I make no criticism of Bill Shorten he wanted to get advice but we do need to get on with it.”

Malcolm Turnbull addresses the media today about his meeting with Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP

‘We’re apart on key issues’

Labor has demanded the parliament deal with the citizenship issue without extra sitting days while putting more onerous conditions on MPs to prove they are eligible to sit in parliament if a deal is to be struck with the Turnbull government.

Bill Shorten said “we made some progress” but warned the citizenship issue was unresolved because Labor found Malcolm Turnbull’s proposal insufficient.

The Opposition Leader said parliamentarians should prove what steps were taken to find out if they were eligible for dual citizenship if their parents or grandparents were born overseas.

Labor is also demanding that MPs provide their documents to the register of interests by midday on December 1, which will allow the parliament to deal with the issue by the last sitting day on December 7.

“We’re apart on two issues: the question of MPs disclosing not just where their parents and grandparents were born to the best of their knowledge but if you know that your parent was born overseas, what steps have you taken to find out that the law over seas in that country doesn’t confer citizenship upon you,” Mr Shorten said.

“Mr Turnbull’s resolution only goes to what the actual individual MP might believe but I think we require, and the High Court set a higher test of us.”

He said the other issue was about timing, believing the parliament should pass a resolution in the Senate and House of Representatives on 27 November - a Monday - which requires MPs to disclose their eligibility in a similar way to disclosing their pecuniary interests.

He said documents should be provided to the register of members interests by the end of that week.

“This would allow the disclosures to be checked out and then if there are any problems requiring referral to the High Court that could be done in the last week of the parliament,” Mr Shorten said.

“The government is saying that people need longer. We do not believe that Australians should pay $1 more to sort out the governments problems.”

Mr Shorten says MPs should be required to show the steps they have taken to resolve their citizenship status. Picture: Getty

PM ponders recall of parliament

Malcolm Turnbull may recall federal parliament just days before Christmas to resolve the dual citizenship crisis by year’s end, as the fiasco threatens to capture more MPs.

The growing uncertainty has led key lower house crossbencher Rebekha Sharkie to demand a meeting with the Prime Minister for assurances the Coalition can deliver “stable and effective” government.

Under Mr Turnbull’s new citizenship disclosure rules, lower house MPs would have 21 days — or until around December 18 — to detail their heritage and produce evidence they are not dual nationals.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to sit for two more weeks and rise for the summer break on December 7 but one option open to the government is recalling parliament after December 18, once the disclosures are made, for any necessary High Court referrals.

The move could appease Labor concerns Mr Turnbull was trying to “cling to office into the new year” by setting a three-week deadline for disclosures.

Ms Sharkie, one of five crossbench MPs whose vote on supply and confidence issues could be critical in the House of Representatives if the government loses any more members, said it was time the Prime Minister met with the independents to explain his plan for the rest of the year.

Mr Turnbull has conceded any further by-elections “could have consequences” for his government after proposing new citizenship disclosure, which will require the majority support of parliament to be established.

‘Australians want mess fixed’

Opposition leader Bill Shorten says he wants to put an end to an MP citizenship crisis enveloping both parties, ahead of meeting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to discuss the issue in Melbourne.

Mr Shorten said he wanted to give certainty to Australians who have been frustrated by revelations of MPs holding dual citizenship.

“Australians want this mess fixed up now but we’ve got make sure this resolution is fair dinkum and the constitution is upheld,” he said.

He refused to discuss citizenship questions surrounding Labor MPs Susan Lamb and Justine Keay.

A fast-walking Malcolm Turnbull dodged all questions as he arrived to meet Mr Shorten at parliamentary headquarters in East Melbourne.

The meeting comes as the Liberal Party grapples with the prospect of a potential by election in the lower house seat of Bennelong, following revelations former tennis pro John Alexander could have dual British citizenship.

This week, Labor MPs Susan Lamb and Justine Keay have also been brought into the fray, with uncertainty on whether they renounced dual British citizenship prior or in time to take office.

Mr Turnbull has proposed a register for all MPs to declare citizenship and where they were born, but has said it won’t be available until after Christmas.

The government needs the opposition’s support to resolve the issue, but Mr Shorten and senior ALP figures have said they want a quicker solution.

Mr Turnbull is expected to speak after the meeting.

Doubts over John Alexander

The Liberal member for Bennelong John Alexander is making urgent checks to clarify his eligibility after it was revealed he may be British by descent of his father, while Liberal senator Eric Abetz has put the heat on Labor’s Justine Keay, who was still a British dual citizen when she was elected to parliament.

Ms Sharkie and fellow crossbencher Cathy McGowan have guaranteed support for the government on any no confidence or supply motions as former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce campaigns in a by-election, but the SA Best MP said the saga was now “bordering on the ridiculous”.

“It’s a numbers game. I don’t think the Australian community want us to go back to an election at this point in time. I know my community of Mayo in the majority do not want to go back to another election,” Ms Sharkie told The Australian.

“But if we’re talking about two or more by-elections it’s starting to border on the ridiculous. It’s now time for the Prime Minister to meet with us and talk about what we can do collectively.”

If the government lost another lower house member while Mr Joyce is trying to reclaim his NSW seat of New England, it would command just 73 of the 148 votes on the floor of parliament, with Liberal MP Tony Smith presiding as Speaker.

Labor, which has 69 votes, could attempt to win over the five crossbenchers and move a successful no-confidence motion against the government 74-73, triggering an early election.

If Ms Sharkie continues to support the government, Mr Turnbull could defeat any no confidence motion, which requires a majority to succeed.

“Because of that instability (from the citizenship saga) I feel we’re not addressing key issues the community wants us to work on,” Ms Sharkie said.

“I’m very keen to support the Prime Minister with confidence and supply but I do think it would be nice … when we go back to Canberra, or if not before, (to) actually sit down with us crossbenchers.”

According to the House of Representatives practice, a government’s continuation in office is dependent on it surviving a motion of no confidence.

“On no occasion has a vote of no confidence in a Government, or a motion or amendment censuring a Government, been successful in the House of Representatives,” it states.

Mr Turnbull will meet with Bill Shorten today to thrash out a compromise deal on his disclosure rules, with Labor demanding his proposed deadline of 21 days is shortened so the eligibility of all MPs is clarified before parliament rises for the summer break.

The High Court last month disqualified Mr Joyce, former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash, former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts and former Greens senators Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam for being dual citizens when they nominated for the 2016 election.

Ms Sharkie is also keen to discuss Mr Turnbull’s citizenship disclosure process before a resolution is put to the lower house, likely at the end of this month, and said any model needed to be “clean, transparent and done”.