Labor challenges government to refer Susan Lamb or shut up

Labor calls on the government to refer Susan Lamb to the High Court over dual citizenship concerns or shut up.

Susan Lamb in parliament yesterday. Picture: Kym Smith

Labor has called on the government to refer Susan Lamb to the High Court over dual citizenship concerns or shut up, with frontbencher Richard Marles declaring the parliament was “at the point where it’s time to piss or get off the pot”.

The government is refusing to use its numbers to test Ms Lamb’s eligibility in court despite threatening for weeks it would do so if Bill Shorten did not.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne again declined to say today if the government would refer Ms Lamb, who gained dual citizenship by descent through her late father and has not completed her renunciation.

The UK government required the marriage certificate of Ms Lamb’s parents in order to finalise her renunciation, but she did not provide it, claiming she was not legally entitled to obtain the document.

The Opposition hoped to draw a line under Ms Lamb’s case this week after she shared her difficult childhood story with the parliament and explained why she was estranged from her mother, but it failed to stop the government’s pursuit of the member for Longman.

“All the problems are now on the Labor side of the ledger. We’ve dealt with ours, we’ve had by-elections in New England and Bennelong, you haven’t,” Mr Pyne said on Sky News.

“Bill Shorten has manifestly failed to manage this process well for Labor. He was supremely arrogant … (Ms Lamb’s) story’s very sad but it doesn’t detract from the fact that she’s still a UK citizen and she could’ve got a marriage certificate from Queensland’s birth, deaths and marriages.”

Mr Marles questioned if the government was “actually going to refer” Ms Lamb, amid increasing speculation it would not set the precedent for a partisan referral.

“As I said to my two-year-old, who’s now an eight-year-old, I think we’re at the point where it’s time to piss or get off the pot,” Mr Marles said.

Richard Marles last year.

Martin, Colbeck elected; path clear for Waters’ return

Meanwhile Queensland Greens senator Andrew Bartlett will not contest a Senate preselection battle ahead of the next federal election, boosting Larissa Waters’ attempt to return to the upper house.

Senator Bartlett announced he would instead attempt to contest the lower house seat of Brisbane, held by Liberal MP Trevor Evans on 5.92 per cent.

His decision comes as the High Court today declared former Jacqui Lambie Network candidate Steve Martin and former Turnbull government minister Richard Colbeck duly elected, giving Tasmania a full suite of senators again.

The new senators replace former crossbencher Jacqui Lambie and former Liberal Senate president Stephen Parry, who were disqualified late last year for being British citizens.

Senator Bartlett’s withdrawal from the Senate race has increased speculation ex-Greens senator Ms Waters, whom he replaced last year after she was disqualified for being a Canadian citizen, will receive the party’s No 1 spot on the Queensland ballot at the next election.

Anti-coal activist and former Brisbane mayoral candidate Ben Pennings is also reportedly seeking preselection for the lead Senate spot.

Andrew Bartlett has announced he will leave the Senate. Picture: Kym Smith

“As our party’s sitting senator, this is not a decision I have made lightly, and I sought the views of many members before doing so,” Senator Bartlett said.

“While I believe I had a credible chance of winning the preselection for the Senate ticket, I also feel now is a great time for our party to build on the very strong momentum from the state election in winning the seat of Maiwar from the LNP and getting big swings in many other seats, including those within the seat of Brisbane, such as McConnel, Clayfield, Stafford and Cooper.”

Larissa Waters may make a bid to return to the Senate at the next federal election. Picture: AAP

Senators Martin and Colbeck, meanwhile, will be sworn in on Monday, but the former will no longer be a Jacqui Lambie MP after Ms Lambie expelled him from the party amid claims the pair’s relationship had “completely broken down”.

Mr Pyne said the “most amazing” twist of the dual citizenship saga this week was Ms Lambie insisting Senator Martin resign to give her back her seat.

“When he said ‘no’ she expelled him from the party. I’m not sure that’s not a definition of cutting off your nose to spite your face,” he said.

Mr Marles added: “I have actually never seen it work that you just ask someone to resign from the parliament and that’s how you get a seat.”

Ms Lambie asked Mr Martin to stand aside when the High Court ruled earlier this week he was eligible to take up her former seat but the Devonport mayor said he had made it clear he would sit as a parliamentarian if he was able to.

Steve Martin is expected to be sworn into the Senate on Monday. Picture: Kym Smith

“There’s been no other conversation (since Ms Lambie asked me to stand aside) and she’s expelled me from the party so I’m focusing now on being a senator for Tasmania and looking at getting on with the job,” Senator Martin said.

“(I’m feeling) pretty chuffed that it’s now done besides being sworn in, which is something to look forward to. I’ll now have an office I’ll be able to operate from and get things rolling.”

In an expulsion letter sent to Senator Martin on Wednesday night, Ms Lambie told him she did not believe his “actions” reflected mateship, respect and integrity and he had not been “honest or upfront” with her since she resigned in November.

She also accused him of reneging on a “commitment” to retain her former staff.

Mr Martin said he would hire a team “based on skill and experience” and wished Ms Lambie well for the future.

“I wish her and her candidates well for the state election. I’m moving on,” Senator Martin said.