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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/07/turnbulls-citizenship-solution-looks-doubtful-as-labor-sows-seeds-of-scepticism
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| Turnbull faces tough sell on citizenship solution as Labor sows seeds of scepticism | Turnbull faces tough sell on citizenship solution as Labor sows seeds of scepticism |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Labor has signalled it will drive a hard bargain with Malcolm Turnbull’s proposed citizenship disclosure solution, identifying several core problems ahead of talks between the two leaders. | Labor has signalled it will drive a hard bargain with Malcolm Turnbull’s proposed citizenship disclosure solution, identifying several core problems ahead of talks between the two leaders. |
| Just hours before it was revealed that Liberal MP John Alexander’s citizenship status was in doubt – potentially making him the fourth Coalition MP with a section 44 conflict – Turnbull announced a disclosure system, modelled on the declaration registers members already use for their interests. | Just hours before it was revealed that Liberal MP John Alexander’s citizenship status was in doubt – potentially making him the fourth Coalition MP with a section 44 conflict – Turnbull announced a disclosure system, modelled on the declaration registers members already use for their interests. |
| Officially, Labor is sticking to the “open mind” line with which Bill Shorten greeted Turnbull’s announcement, ahead of a meeting between the two leaders planned for 9am on Wednesday. | Officially, Labor is sticking to the “open mind” line with which Bill Shorten greeted Turnbull’s announcement, ahead of a meeting between the two leaders planned for 9am on Wednesday. |
| However, Labor has already begun laying the seeds of scepticism over the plan, which needs bipartisan support, or at least support from the crossbench, to get through the parliament. | However, Labor has already begun laying the seeds of scepticism over the plan, which needs bipartisan support, or at least support from the crossbench, to get through the parliament. |
| “What he is proposing is to try and ensure that Australians don’t know the truth about the citizenship about the members of parliament or the eligibility of his own MPs until next year, or after Christmas,” Penny Wong said on Tuesday morning. | “What he is proposing is to try and ensure that Australians don’t know the truth about the citizenship about the members of parliament or the eligibility of his own MPs until next year, or after Christmas,” Penny Wong said on Tuesday morning. |
| Labor has taken issue with the 21-day disclosure timeframe, which, with only one sitting of parliament remaining this year, would kick the issue into 2018. | Labor has taken issue with the 21-day disclosure timeframe, which, with only one sitting of parliament remaining this year, would kick the issue into 2018. |
| That has raised rumours the Turnbull government is headed to an election earlier than it would want, with members privately questioning how many byelections the parliament, and particularly the government, could take. | That has raised rumours the Turnbull government is headed to an election earlier than it would want, with members privately questioning how many byelections the parliament, and particularly the government, could take. |
| If the government cannot find common ground with Labor, it faces an uphill battle to get its disclosure system through the Senate, with the Greens also ruling out supporting it in its current form. | If the government cannot find common ground with Labor, it faces an uphill battle to get its disclosure system through the Senate, with the Greens also ruling out supporting it in its current form. |
| The independent MP Andrew Wilkie told Guardian Australia the disclosure mechanism lacked an “independent auditor” who would “provide a fresh pair of eyes” to check whether a parliamentarian was a foreign citizen. | The independent MP Andrew Wilkie told Guardian Australia the disclosure mechanism lacked an “independent auditor” who would “provide a fresh pair of eyes” to check whether a parliamentarian was a foreign citizen. |
| He said the register of interests was an “unreliable mechanism” which had “no effective punitive measures” so it was “unlikely to be much of a deterrent”. | He said the register of interests was an “unreliable mechanism” which had “no effective punitive measures” so it was “unlikely to be much of a deterrent”. |
| Wilkie said there was abundant pressure on politicians to “come clean as soon as they can”, and there could be more resignations or referrals before the end of the year, without necessarily waiting for the disclosure process to be complete. | Wilkie said there was abundant pressure on politicians to “come clean as soon as they can”, and there could be more resignations or referrals before the end of the year, without necessarily waiting for the disclosure process to be complete. |
| Sangeetha Pillai, a senior research associate at the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at the University of NSW, said the disclosure mechanism “doesn’t go the whole way” towards solving citizenship eligibility problems. She said where politicians had made an “honest mistake” about holding foreign citizenship, the disclosure mechanism would not pick it up where an audit mechanism might. | Sangeetha Pillai, a senior research associate at the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at the University of NSW, said the disclosure mechanism “doesn’t go the whole way” towards solving citizenship eligibility problems. She said where politicians had made an “honest mistake” about holding foreign citizenship, the disclosure mechanism would not pick it up where an audit mechanism might. |
| A spokeswoman for senator Jacqui Lambie said that “in her view this disclosure isn’t strong enough and she would prefer to see an independent audit”, but did not say whether she would vote for the disclosure resolution.On Monday Pauline Hanson told 2GB Radio that all parliamentarians should have to “put their papers forward” and prove they complied with section 44 of the constitution. | A spokeswoman for senator Jacqui Lambie said that “in her view this disclosure isn’t strong enough and she would prefer to see an independent audit”, but did not say whether she would vote for the disclosure resolution.On Monday Pauline Hanson told 2GB Radio that all parliamentarians should have to “put their papers forward” and prove they complied with section 44 of the constitution. |
| The Liberal MP Craig Kelly, an outspoken backbencher who had called for an audit, said he was “fully supportive” of Turnbull’s preferred disclosure mechanism, saying it would draw a line in the sand to prevent further eligibility issues. | The Liberal MP Craig Kelly, an outspoken backbencher who had called for an audit, said he was “fully supportive” of Turnbull’s preferred disclosure mechanism, saying it would draw a line in the sand to prevent further eligibility issues. |
| He said referrals to the high court should be dealt with in “one further batch” rather than be referred one by one as facts emerged, as Labor has suggested should occur now for Alexander. | He said referrals to the high court should be dealt with in “one further batch” rather than be referred one by one as facts emerged, as Labor has suggested should occur now for Alexander. |
| The government is waiting to learn whether Alexander does have a dual citizenship, a question which could be answered as early as Tuesday afternoon, although the government has so far said Alexander would be part of whatever disclosure process the parliament decides on. | The government is waiting to learn whether Alexander does have a dual citizenship, a question which could be answered as early as Tuesday afternoon, although the government has so far said Alexander would be part of whatever disclosure process the parliament decides on. |
| Labor has called on the Coalition to refer Alexander to the high court, but is so far resisting the temptation to break convention and attempt to refer him themselves, while Barnaby Joyce’s absence places pressure on the government’s numbers in the house. | Labor has called on the Coalition to refer Alexander to the high court, but is so far resisting the temptation to break convention and attempt to refer him themselves, while Barnaby Joyce’s absence places pressure on the government’s numbers in the house. |
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