The Senate is Disappearing before our Eyes

In the last two weeks the Senate has lost two members because they were bloody foreigners while a third is going to the High Court to find out if he is eligible to remain in the senate

Senators Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters quit after finding out they held dual citizenship. Ludlam was also a citizen of New Zealand while Larissa Waters is also a citizen of Canada. This is not as if this is anything new.

Under the constitution people must take reasonable steps top renounce citizenship of a foreign power - for example Tony Abbott and Julie Gilliard (ex prime ministers) were both born in the UK and had to renounce their British citizenship before standing for parliament.

Now Senator Canavan has resigned from the Turnbull government ministry on Tuesday night after publicly declaring his mother signed him up for Italian citizenship without his knowledge. The High Court is being asked to rule on this.

Renouncing citizenship of another country can be an expensive process.

Labor senator Sam Dastyari said giving up his Iranian citizenship cost $25,000 and involved two teams of lawyers — one from Australia and one in Iran.

"It was difficult, expensive, lengthy and precarious for my family still living in Iran. Nonetheless the rules are the rules and I have met them to ensure I meet the requirements to be properly elected," he said on Facebook.

It is not so costly for the more straightforward case of renouncing citizenship of the United Kingdom which incurs a fee of around $530.

Re: The Senate is Disappearing before our Eyes

Who do I pay?

Re: The Senate is Disappearing before our Eyes

BTW it is Section 44i of the Constitution that is the problem for them after a High Court ruling in 1992.


COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT - SECT 44
Disqualification

Any person who:

(i) is under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power; or

(ii) is attainted of treason, or has been convicted and is under sentence, or subject to be sentenced, for any offence punishable under the law of the Commonwealth or of a State by imprisonment for one year or longer; or

(iii) is an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent; or

(iv) holds any office of profit under the Crown, or any pension payable during the pleasure of the Crown out of any of the revenues of the Commonwealth; or

(v) has any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the Public Service of the Commonwealth otherwise than as a member and in common with the other members of an incorporated company consisting of more than twenty-five persons;

shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a senator or a member of the House of Representatives.