Dual citizenship: PM 'very confident' High Court will rule in Joyce's favour

Malcolm Turnbull insists his reign won't be over if Barnaby Joyce is disqualified from parliament by the High Court, confident he will win a by-election.

File image: Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Turnbull

File image: Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Turnbull Source: AAP

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is confident his government will survive the citizenship crisis engulfing federal politics - most notably, the deputy prime minister.

Barnaby Joyce and four senators have been referred to the High Court amid concerns they could be in breach of the constitution for being dual citizens.

The matter is set for a three-day hearing in Canberra from October 10.

Mr Joyce revealed a fortnight ago he was a citizen of New Zealand by descent, but the government has advice this isn't enough to unseat him.
Mr Turnbull said if the High Court ruled him ineligible, that would not mean the end of his government.

"The answer is no," he told ABC's 7.30 program on Monday night.

"If there were a by-election in the seat of New England, Barnaby Joyce would be returned."

He reiterated that he was "very confident" the court will find that Mr Joyce is qualified to sit in the House of Representatives.
Mr Turnbull holds a wafer-thin one-seat majority in the lower house.

He added that he was very confident he will win the next election, despite having lost 18 Newspolls in a row.

Mr Turnbull used the fact the coalition had lost 30 consecutive Newspolls as a rationale for challenging Tony Abbott for the leadership in 2015.

"I'm very confident we will win the next election," he said.


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2 min read
Published 28 August 2017 8:34pm
Updated 28 August 2017 9:04pm
Source: AAP


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