This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/28/nationals-push-to-raise-every-cent-in-fight-to-bring-back-joyce
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Nationals push to raise 'every cent' in fight to bring back Joyce | Nationals push to raise 'every cent' in fight to bring back Joyce |
| (3 months later) | |
| Regional Australia is at risk of losing ‘its biggest advocate’, the party tells supporters after high court decision | |
| Katharine Murphy and | |
| Paul Karp | |
| Fri 27 Oct 2017 21.55 BST | |
| Last modified on Sat 28 Oct 2017 06.30 BST | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| The Nationals have kicked off a major grassroots fundraising drive to back Barnaby Joyce in the New England byelection, declaring that “every man and his dog will be looking to discredit him”. | The Nationals have kicked off a major grassroots fundraising drive to back Barnaby Joyce in the New England byelection, declaring that “every man and his dog will be looking to discredit him”. |
| In an email to supporters sent after the high court’s decision on Friday, the Nationals declared regional Australia was at risk of losing “its biggest advocate”. | In an email to supporters sent after the high court’s decision on Friday, the Nationals declared regional Australia was at risk of losing “its biggest advocate”. |
| “With Barnaby’s position at risk, the odds are stacked against us. Every man and his dog will be looking to discredit him and the good work he’s done for the bush and his local community,” the email to supporters says. | “With Barnaby’s position at risk, the odds are stacked against us. Every man and his dog will be looking to discredit him and the good work he’s done for the bush and his local community,” the email to supporters says. |
| “But Barnaby has never backed away from a fight – and this one is no different.” | “But Barnaby has never backed away from a fight – and this one is no different.” |
| The email declares Joyce will face organised opposition in the coming weeks from “unions, independents and left groups like GetUp! banding together” – meaning the Nationals need “every cent we can get”. | The email declares Joyce will face organised opposition in the coming weeks from “unions, independents and left groups like GetUp! banding together” – meaning the Nationals need “every cent we can get”. |
| Joyce hit the hustings immediately after the high court ruling, despite the high-profile independent Tony Windsor defusing one pressure point by confirming he would not run. | Joyce hit the hustings immediately after the high court ruling, despite the high-profile independent Tony Windsor defusing one pressure point by confirming he would not run. |
| Joyce is likely to face competition from a One Nation candidate, and possibly a candidate from the Shooters party. Labor will also run a candidate in the seat. | Joyce is likely to face competition from a One Nation candidate, and possibly a candidate from the Shooters party. Labor will also run a candidate in the seat. |
| The high court’s decision on Friday caps off the most difficult week the Turnbull government has faced since winning office at the last federal election. | The high court’s decision on Friday caps off the most difficult week the Turnbull government has faced since winning office at the last federal election. |
| Given the government has in effect lost its working majority on the floor of the House of Representatives, Labor will muscle up in the remaining parliamentary sitting weeks between now and the end of the year. | Given the government has in effect lost its working majority on the floor of the House of Representatives, Labor will muscle up in the remaining parliamentary sitting weeks between now and the end of the year. |
| Labor is expected to test the numbers on the floor of the House on priority areas, such as a banking royal commission and penalty rates. | Labor is expected to test the numbers on the floor of the House on priority areas, such as a banking royal commission and penalty rates. |
| The government could also face legal challenges to the decisions taken by ministers in the period in which they remained in their cabinet posts while the high court considered their eligibility. | The government could also face legal challenges to the decisions taken by ministers in the period in which they remained in their cabinet posts while the high court considered their eligibility. |
| At a short media conference after the court’s ruling, Turnbull outlined the administrative changes required in the absence of Joyce and the Nationals deputy leader, Fiona Nash. | At a short media conference after the court’s ruling, Turnbull outlined the administrative changes required in the absence of Joyce and the Nationals deputy leader, Fiona Nash. |
| He also indicated the government would consider changes to the constitutional disqualification of foreign citizens through the joint standing committee on electoral matters process or changes to “electoral laws and practices to minimise the risk of candidates being in breach” of section 44. | He also indicated the government would consider changes to the constitutional disqualification of foreign citizens through the joint standing committee on electoral matters process or changes to “electoral laws and practices to minimise the risk of candidates being in breach” of section 44. |
| These reforms would ensure “in our multicultural society that all Australians are able confidently to stand for and serve in our parliament”, he said. | These reforms would ensure “in our multicultural society that all Australians are able confidently to stand for and serve in our parliament”, he said. |
| Reform of section 44 could entail a referendum to change the constitution in line with the commonwealth’s preferred construction in the citizenship case that only people who have knowledge of their foreign citizenship and “voluntarily obtain or retain” it are barred. | Reform of section 44 could entail a referendum to change the constitution in line with the commonwealth’s preferred construction in the citizenship case that only people who have knowledge of their foreign citizenship and “voluntarily obtain or retain” it are barred. |
| On Friday in a unanimous decision the high court justices held that interpretation did not fit the natural and ordinary meaning of section 44 as it stands. | On Friday in a unanimous decision the high court justices held that interpretation did not fit the natural and ordinary meaning of section 44 as it stands. |
| A constitutional law expert, professor Anne Twomey, told Guardian Australia she was “sceptical whether there would be sufficient appetite to change the constitution” through a referendum to deal with the disqualification of foreign citizens. | A constitutional law expert, professor Anne Twomey, told Guardian Australia she was “sceptical whether there would be sufficient appetite to change the constitution” through a referendum to deal with the disqualification of foreign citizens. |
| “I suspect that people think other constitutional changes, such as Indigenous recognition are far more important,” she said. “In reality all the court’s decision means is that political parties need to be more diligent in vetting their candidates – it’s not a problem with constitution but a matter of making sure they do the right thing when they nominate.” | “I suspect that people think other constitutional changes, such as Indigenous recognition are far more important,” she said. “In reality all the court’s decision means is that political parties need to be more diligent in vetting their candidates – it’s not a problem with constitution but a matter of making sure they do the right thing when they nominate.” |
| “We’ve seen that with Labor and Liberal parties at least seemingly managing to avoid that problem unlike the minor parties.” | “We’ve seen that with Labor and Liberal parties at least seemingly managing to avoid that problem unlike the minor parties.” |
| Asked about fixes that would not require a referendum, Twomey said the parliament “can’t legislate in a way to remove the application of the constitution”. Legislation could therefore not simply dictate that for the purposes of section 44 candidates are taken to have renounced foreign citizenship. | Asked about fixes that would not require a referendum, Twomey said the parliament “can’t legislate in a way to remove the application of the constitution”. Legislation could therefore not simply dictate that for the purposes of section 44 candidates are taken to have renounced foreign citizenship. |
| “The best you could do is to legislate ... to alert people to the problem, for example, to make it quite clear on a nomination form that if they or their parents or grandparents were born overseas they are under an obligation to obtain advice.” | “The best you could do is to legislate ... to alert people to the problem, for example, to make it quite clear on a nomination form that if they or their parents or grandparents were born overseas they are under an obligation to obtain advice.” |
| Barnaby Joyce | |
| Australian politics | |
| Australian citizenship | |
| National party | |
| Liberal party | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |