16th Aug 2017, 3:51 PM – Senate Documents - Solicitor-General's Advice - Produce the documents

The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by Senator Richard Di Natale that called for documents to be produced. The documents contain the Solicitor-General's advice regarding the eligibility of the Member for New England, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, to stand for Parliament.

Why might Barnaby Joyce be ineligible for Parliament?

The Constitution requires that all our representatives in Parliament carry only Australian citizenship. Since Mr Joyce may be a New Zealand citizen by birth, he may not have been eligible to stand for Parliament. What this means is still to be determined by the High Court, though the Solicitor-General has given advice on the matter and it is that advice that Senator Di Natale requested be presented to Parliament.

Motion text

That—

(a) the Senate notes:

(i) the admission of the Member for New England, Mr Barnaby Joyce MP, that he may hold New Zealand citizenship,

(ii) that the New Zealand Government has confirmed that Mr Joyce is a citizen of New Zealand, and

(iii) that the case has been referred to the Court of Disputed Returns; and

(b) there be laid on the table, by the Attorney­ General, by no later than 12 noon on 17 August 2017, the Solicitor-General's advice regarding the eligibility of the Member for New England to continue to sit as a member of the House of Representatives or serve as a minister in the Cabinet.