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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/02/mitch-fifield-admits-he-knew-weeks-ago-stephen-parry-may-hold-dual-citizenship
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| Mitch Fifield admits he knew weeks ago Stephen Parry may hold dual citizenship | Mitch Fifield admits he knew weeks ago Stephen Parry may hold dual citizenship |
| (4 months later) | |
| The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, has admitted he found out weeks ago the former Senate president Stephen Parry was concerned he may hold dual citizenship. | The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, has admitted he found out weeks ago the former Senate president Stephen Parry was concerned he may hold dual citizenship. |
| Parry quit parliament this week after receiving advice from the UK Home Office that he held British citizenship through his UK-born father. | Parry quit parliament this week after receiving advice from the UK Home Office that he held British citizenship through his UK-born father. |
| Parry’s revelation has angered senior Coalition colleagues, including the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, because it has come at a time when the government believed the citizenship saga was behind it. | Parry’s revelation has angered senior Coalition colleagues, including the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, because it has come at a time when the government believed the citizenship saga was behind it. |
| But the ABC reported on Thursday that Parry had told senior colleagues, including a cabinet colleague, about his citizenship concerns months ago and was advised not to raise the alarm. | But the ABC reported on Thursday that Parry had told senior colleagues, including a cabinet colleague, about his citizenship concerns months ago and was advised not to raise the alarm. |
| Kevin Andrews calls for 'strong and decisive leadership' as Coalition fractures grow | |
| The report also suggested that Parry is upset his integrity has been called into question, given he was advised not to say anything by his colleague. He was reportedly told to sit tight because the solicitor general’s advice was that the government would win the citizenship case. | The report also suggested that Parry is upset his integrity has been called into question, given he was advised not to say anything by his colleague. He was reportedly told to sit tight because the solicitor general’s advice was that the government would win the citizenship case. |
| Fifield, who is a cabinet minister, says Parry told him weeks ago that he may have dual citizenship. | Fifield, who is a cabinet minister, says Parry told him weeks ago that he may have dual citizenship. |
| “Former senator Parry mentioned to me a few weeks ago that he was endeavouring to check his family’s records,” Fifield said in a statement. | “Former senator Parry mentioned to me a few weeks ago that he was endeavouring to check his family’s records,” Fifield said in a statement. |
| “The onus is on all senators and members to satisfy themselves of their circumstances and I encouraged senator Parry to do so. | “The onus is on all senators and members to satisfy themselves of their circumstances and I encouraged senator Parry to do so. |
| “He called me on Monday to say that he had sought advice from the British Home Office and had advised the attorney general of this.” | “He called me on Monday to say that he had sought advice from the British Home Office and had advised the attorney general of this.” |
| Parry said in statement he had awaited last Friday’s high court judgment on the eligibility of seven parliamentary colleagues before seeking advice from British authorities. | Parry said in statement he had awaited last Friday’s high court judgment on the eligibility of seven parliamentary colleagues before seeking advice from British authorities. |
| The ABC reported Parry confided his doubts to a cabinet minister in mid-August and was told not to go public. | The ABC reported Parry confided his doubts to a cabinet minister in mid-August and was told not to go public. |
| The treasurer, Scott Morrison, was interviewed for the ABC’s 7.30 program on Thursday just after the story about Parry confiding in a cabinet minister had broken. | The treasurer, Scott Morrison, was interviewed for the ABC’s 7.30 program on Thursday just after the story about Parry confiding in a cabinet minister had broken. |
| “I never had any discussion with Stephen about these things,” Morrison said. | “I never had any discussion with Stephen about these things,” Morrison said. |
| “It’s speculation. People will want to try to kick up dust around this issue, but what Australians want us to focus on is not setting up some genealogy commission here to go and prise over foreign citizenship laws, they want the parliament to focus on what matters to them.” | “It’s speculation. People will want to try to kick up dust around this issue, but what Australians want us to focus on is not setting up some genealogy commission here to go and prise over foreign citizenship laws, they want the parliament to focus on what matters to them.” |
| Morrison did not know that Fifield had admitted that Parry had confided to him about his citizenship concerns weeks ago. | Morrison did not know that Fifield had admitted that Parry had confided to him about his citizenship concerns weeks ago. |
| The Labor frontbencher Penny Wong said Turnbull and the attorney general, George Brandis, owed the public an explanation. | The Labor frontbencher Penny Wong said Turnbull and the attorney general, George Brandis, owed the public an explanation. |
| “This smacks of a cover-up and it’s now time for some straight answers from Turnbull and Brandis,” she said. | “This smacks of a cover-up and it’s now time for some straight answers from Turnbull and Brandis,” she said. |
| “The prime minister must now find out who knew, and when, and why his ministers covered this up for so long.” | “The prime minister must now find out who knew, and when, and why his ministers covered this up for so long.” |
| Brandis told reporters he first heard about it whenParry contacted him on Monday morning. | Brandis told reporters he first heard about it whenParry contacted him on Monday morning. |
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