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Barnaby Joyce says he is no longer a New Zealand citizen – politics live One Nation gives conditional support to Coalition's media changes – politics live
(35 minutes later)
7.44am BST
07:44
Eleanor Ainge Roy
Here are some more comments from the NZ Labor leader Jacinda Ardern via Guardian correspondent Eleanor Ainge Roy.
I am not going to escalate this situation, my resolve is to make sure we get our relationship back on track I am not going to let this issue get in the way of that.
It was an ALP staffer ... [who got in touch with Hipkins].
My last conversation with Bill Shorten was when he called to congratulate me. We have had no conversation about any of these issues and matter.
From my perspective we have made it clear this shouldn’t have happened, but ultimately it was questions raised by the media that caused this situation, rather than questions by us so I wanted to make it clear our level of involvement because we have been implicated far beyond what we should have been.
[Hipkins] certainly knows that what he did was wrong and has apologised many times. I have apologised many times.
When you are talking about the future of MPs, it is a heightened environment and I absolutely accept that. It is very important from my perspective that we convey our involvement and that I convey that what has happened here is unacceptable.
I don’t believe [the ALP staffer] worked for Bill Shorten
Australia and New Zealand historically have had to deal with issues of this scale. I have absolute faith that we will be able to maintain our important relationship.
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What would Tony do?
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Barnaby Joyce messing with photographers.Barnaby Joyce messing with photographers.
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One Nation gives conditional support to media changesOne Nation gives conditional support to media changes
Via the One Nation Facebook page:Via the One Nation Facebook page:
After extensive consultation with industry bodies, government representatives and regional communities, One Nation senators have given conditional support to the government for its media reform bill. In securing One Nation’s support, the government has agreed to make provisions for ABC reforms, greater community radio funding, and foreign ownership reporting.After extensive consultation with industry bodies, government representatives and regional communities, One Nation senators have given conditional support to the government for its media reform bill. In securing One Nation’s support, the government has agreed to make provisions for ABC reforms, greater community radio funding, and foreign ownership reporting.
The government agreed to pursue a number of measures designed to assist the ABC in increasing its regional focus, as well as its financial transparency and political impartiality.The government agreed to pursue a number of measures designed to assist the ABC in increasing its regional focus, as well as its financial transparency and political impartiality.
One Nation has been at the forefront calling for more transparency of wages at the ABC and we have received assurances from the government that they will be asking the ABC to start providing details of the wages and conditions of all staff whose wages and allowances are greater than $200,000, similar to what is being implemented by the British Broadcasting Corporation.One Nation has been at the forefront calling for more transparency of wages at the ABC and we have received assurances from the government that they will be asking the ABC to start providing details of the wages and conditions of all staff whose wages and allowances are greater than $200,000, similar to what is being implemented by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
The government has also agreed to undertake a competitive neutrality inquiry into the ABC and to legislate a requirement for the ABC to be ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’.The government has also agreed to undertake a competitive neutrality inquiry into the ABC and to legislate a requirement for the ABC to be ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’.
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Ardern doesn’t want a bar of it, by the sounds.Ardern doesn’t want a bar of it, by the sounds.
This had nothing to this and we should not have been involved.This had nothing to this and we should not have been involved.
Ardern does not want it to get in the way of the Australia-New Zealand relationship.Ardern does not want it to get in the way of the Australia-New Zealand relationship.
6.48am BST6.48am BST
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NZ Labor leader Jacinda Ardern is speaking in Wellington.NZ Labor leader Jacinda Ardern is speaking in Wellington.
She says the question by her MP Chris Hipkins was wrong but he didn’t know which member it related to – ie Barnaby Joyce.She says the question by her MP Chris Hipkins was wrong but he didn’t know which member it related to – ie Barnaby Joyce.
This is the question in question #auspol #qt pic.twitter.com/MyRHVtJOq2This is the question in question #auspol #qt pic.twitter.com/MyRHVtJOq2
Ardern says it was an Australian Labor staffer who rang Hipkins to ask him to put the question.Ardern says it was an Australian Labor staffer who rang Hipkins to ask him to put the question.
She said Hipkins has recognised it was wrong to ask the question.She said Hipkins has recognised it was wrong to ask the question.
She would be happy to talk to foreign minister Julie Bishop but she doesn’t have her number. Ardern has told the Australian high commission she would be happy to talk to Bishop.She would be happy to talk to foreign minister Julie Bishop but she doesn’t have her number. Ardern has told the Australian high commission she would be happy to talk to Bishop.
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Tony Burke is detailing all of the crossover between Bruce Billson’s habits and the Franchise Council prior to leaving parliament. It is a forensic account of Billson’s media releases, his Twitter feed and other appearances.Tony Burke is detailing all of the crossover between Bruce Billson’s habits and the Franchise Council prior to leaving parliament. It is a forensic account of Billson’s media releases, his Twitter feed and other appearances.
Burke said they raise serious issues while he was reportedly being paid by the Franchise Council. He wants to refer it to the parliament’s powerful privileges committee.Burke said they raise serious issues while he was reportedly being paid by the Franchise Council. He wants to refer it to the parliament’s powerful privileges committee.
He raises some very substantial and serious allegations. I will try to get a copy of the statement so I don’t muck it up.He raises some very substantial and serious allegations. I will try to get a copy of the statement so I don’t muck it up.
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Tony Burke is questioning Speaker Tony Smith on the money paid to former Liberal small business minister Bruce Billson prior to him leaving parliament from the Franchise Council of Australia.Tony Burke is questioning Speaker Tony Smith on the money paid to former Liberal small business minister Bruce Billson prior to him leaving parliament from the Franchise Council of Australia.
It goes to the details reported by 7.30.It goes to the details reported by 7.30.
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The government successfully gagged Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon and then voted down the suspension motion. Question time is over.The government successfully gagged Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon and then voted down the suspension motion. Question time is over.
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Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.
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Barnaby is obviously the key target for photographers in the house today. Bowers reports he keeps putting his hands up to his head so the photographers lift their lenses to shoot him but then he brings them down and laughing uproariously.
He knows the photographers are after exasperation photos so he has now put his hands in his pockets.
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06:04
The government successfully gags Labor. Barnaby’s shadow, Joel Fitzgibbon, rises to second the suspension of standing orders motion.
Fitzgibbon says the suspension motion goes to the very heart of our Westminster system.
A Minister of the Crown should not serve in in place, should not exercise the power of the Executive without the confidence of this place.
Christopher Pyne moves to gag Fitzgibbon.
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The man of the moment.
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Labor suspends standing orders over Joyce admission he was a NZ citizen
Given Barnaby Joyce’s acknowledge that he was a citizen, Tony Burke moves to suspend standing orders. He moves that the House:
1. Notes:a) Yesterday, this House unanimously asked the High Court to determine whether the deputy prime minister is constitutionally qualified to be a member of parliament;
b) Yesterday, the prime minister claimed “The deputy prime minister, is qualified to sit in this house, and the high court will so hold” despite confirmation from the prime minister of New Zealand that the deputy prime minister is in fact a New Zealand citizen;
c) Today in question time, the deputy prime minister confirmed he was a citizen of a foreign power prior to the weekend; and
2. Therefore, calls on the prime minister:a) To come clean with the Australian people and acknowledge that the deputy prime minister of Australia is ineligible to hold office;
b) Rule out accepting the vote of the deputy prime minister while his constitutional qualifications are in doubt; and
c) Direct the deputy prime minister to immediately resign from cabinet.
Leader of the government in the house Christopher Pyne moves to gag Burke.
A vote is required. Ring the bells.
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Tony Burke to Turnbull: In the last answer, given by the Deputy Prime Minister, he confirmed that up until the weekend, he was in violation of the Australian Constitution as a member of parliament. He had confirmed that he had renounced a foreign citizenship, which you are ineligible to nominate for Parliament if you hold. Why is he still a member of your cabinet? Why is he still voting in this Parliament when, by his own admission, it’s against the Constitution?
Turnbull makes mention of Burke’s thunderous indignation regarding citizenship.
He says section 44 is not so clear cut.
The proposition that a person who is a citizen of Australia and a citizen of another country and by that reason alone is disqualified from a member a Parliament is not an unqualified position. The High Court has set limits on it and at least one of the members opposite is relying on those limits.
That is to say, the member for Braddon, who was a British citizen at the time she nominated, says, “It is OK because of what the High Court said in Sykes v Cleary, I made reasonable efforts to renounce.”
Senator Dastyari is still a citizen of Iran. He says he has put in a big effort to renounce but it hasn’t been effective to Iranian law. He may well be right. The point of the matter is the section is to be read with its purpose and intent. The court has made that very, very clear.
5.43am BST
05:43
Joyce expecting advice he is no longer a NZ citizen
Labor’s Tony Burke to Turnbull: it goes to the eligibility of members of cabinet to hold office. Is the deputy prime minister a citizen of a foreign power?
Pyne takes a point of order on sub judice.
He argues that Speaker Smith has written to the high court to refer Joyce’s case, therefore it is subject to the sub judice rule.
Speaker Smith says he has given this a lot of thought.
With the high court the highest court of the land adjudicating this matter … I am confident the high court is not going to be swayed.
Tony Burke is like the cat that got the cream.
Barnaby Joyce answers instead.
Over the course of the weekend we went through the process of renunciation. We’ve received verbal communication from New Zealand before question time that that has now been accepted and we’re looking forward to the written advice turning up pronto.
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Scott Morrison takes a question in which he calls Bill Shorten a slidey snake.