Barnaby’s one of us, Kiwi PM says

Bill English says Barnaby Joyce is, ‘unwittingly or not’, considered to be a citizen of New Zealand.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during Question Time. Picture: AAP

Labor has capitalised on comments from New Zealand’s Prime Minister Bill English who has confirmed that Barnaby Joyce is considered to be a citizen of New Zealand.

Mr English is reported in the New Zealand media as saying “unwittingly or not, he’s a New Zealand citizen.” Mr English also revealed he learnt last week that Mr Joyce’s citizenship “could be an issue.”

Mr English said he was not currently aware of any other New Zealand citizens serving in Australia’s parliament, but expected the question would be closely examined.

He even humorously suggested that Mr Joyce would be a good fit for New Zealand politics.

Bill Shorten and Labor have seized on the confirmation to hijack question time and ratchet-up the political pressure on Malcolm Turnbull.

“Moments ago, the Prime Minster of New Zealand, Mr Bill English, has confirmed, unwittingly or not, the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia is a New Zealand citizen,” Mr Shorten said. “So I ask again - how can the Prime Minister possibly defend keeping him in his cabinet and letting him vote in the House?”

Manager of Opposition Business is leading the charge with Labor attempting to suspend standing orders to protest at the government’s decision to keep Mr Joyce in the cabinet while also allowing him to vote in the lower house.

“This is a government without legitimacy,” Mr Burke said. “This is a government that has had to, for the first time in the history of this country, go to the High Court and ask whether or not it has... a majority.”

“The Prime Minister, remember his description of the Greens, when they first declared that they, the Green Party, had made mistakes of this nature? He was talking of extraordinary recklessness on their part. How hopeless they were. Prime Minister, every criticism you made about the Green Party is now about you. Every single word.”