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| Turnbull calls Karl Stefanovic 'patronising' in fiery TV exchange | Turnbull calls Karl Stefanovic 'patronising' in fiery TV exchange |
| (2 months later) | |
| The PM’s bad week comes to a head as Today host accuses him of ‘waffling’ and Kevin Andrews weighs in on citizenship | |
| Gareth Hutchens and | |
| Paul Karp | |
| Thu 9 Nov 2017 02.59 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 9 Nov 2017 03.00 GMT | |
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| Malcolm Turnbull is coming under pressure over the citizenship crisis, becoming noticeably angry at Today host Karl Stefanovic after being told he was “waffling” and facing warnings from Kevin Andrews that the timeline to deal with eligibility issues must be sped up. | Malcolm Turnbull is coming under pressure over the citizenship crisis, becoming noticeably angry at Today host Karl Stefanovic after being told he was “waffling” and facing warnings from Kevin Andrews that the timeline to deal with eligibility issues must be sped up. |
| It caps a bad week for the prime minister, as the worsening citizenship saga emboldened conservatives in the Coalition to increasingly question his decisions publicly. | It caps a bad week for the prime minister, as the worsening citizenship saga emboldened conservatives in the Coalition to increasingly question his decisions publicly. |
| With serious doubts emerging about the eligibility of Liberal MP John Alexander this week, Turnbull met with the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, on Wednesday to try to reach a bipartisan agreement on the best way to solve the citizenship crisis. | With serious doubts emerging about the eligibility of Liberal MP John Alexander this week, Turnbull met with the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, on Wednesday to try to reach a bipartisan agreement on the best way to solve the citizenship crisis. |
| Shorten emerged from the meeting saying Coalition MPs ought to produce their citizenship documents faster than Turnbull wanted and make declarations using a different test, prompting Turnbull to accuse him of negotiating in bad faith. | Shorten emerged from the meeting saying Coalition MPs ought to produce their citizenship documents faster than Turnbull wanted and make declarations using a different test, prompting Turnbull to accuse him of negotiating in bad faith. |
| On Thursday, Stefanovic then asked Turnbull if he was going to “pony up” and meet Shorten’s 1 December deadline, prompting Turnbull to explain at length why Shorten was being disingenuous. | On Thursday, Stefanovic then asked Turnbull if he was going to “pony up” and meet Shorten’s 1 December deadline, prompting Turnbull to explain at length why Shorten was being disingenuous. |
| Asked if he was feeling the pressure of the citizenship problems plaguing his government, Turnbull replied: “I am a good man in a crisis, Karl. You know, everyone else gets frenzied, particularly in the media. I’m very calm.” | Asked if he was feeling the pressure of the citizenship problems plaguing his government, Turnbull replied: “I am a good man in a crisis, Karl. You know, everyone else gets frenzied, particularly in the media. I’m very calm.” |
| He then explained at length why the citizenship saga had led to a media witch-hunt of politicians, and listed his government’s achievements. | He then explained at length why the citizenship saga had led to a media witch-hunt of politicians, and listed his government’s achievements. |
| Stefanovic then said: “PM, with the greatest respect, you are waffling this morning. You are waffling.” | Stefanovic then said: “PM, with the greatest respect, you are waffling this morning. You are waffling.” |
| Turnbull reacted angrily, accusing Stefanovic of being patronising. | Turnbull reacted angrily, accusing Stefanovic of being patronising. |
| “Karl, you have got a job,” he said. “If you are looking for a job and you need a job and you have got one because of the strong economic leadership we provided, you may think it is waffling, but if you have been unemployed and you are getting a chance to get ahead, you would say you are being very patronising saying young people getting jobs.” | “Karl, you have got a job,” he said. “If you are looking for a job and you need a job and you have got one because of the strong economic leadership we provided, you may think it is waffling, but if you have been unemployed and you are getting a chance to get ahead, you would say you are being very patronising saying young people getting jobs.” |
| As Turnbull left to attend Apec and the East Asia Summit on Thursday, the Liberal MP Kevin Andrews weighed in on Labor’s side that the citizenship disclosure process should be “truncated”. | As Turnbull left to attend Apec and the East Asia Summit on Thursday, the Liberal MP Kevin Andrews weighed in on Labor’s side that the citizenship disclosure process should be “truncated”. |
| “From a political perspective this is doing enormous damage in terms of the government not being able to get out its message,” Andrews told Sky News. | “From a political perspective this is doing enormous damage in terms of the government not being able to get out its message,” Andrews told Sky News. |
| Andrews said that even if referrals to the high court were made before Christmas, the court would hear the cases at the earliest in February and decide them in March, with by-elections to follow three weeks after. | Andrews said that even if referrals to the high court were made before Christmas, the court would hear the cases at the earliest in February and decide them in March, with by-elections to follow three weeks after. |
| He said the prospect the citizenship crisis could drag on for months was “unsettling” to Australians. | He said the prospect the citizenship crisis could drag on for months was “unsettling” to Australians. |
| Andrews said that the “problems with the current proposal” were not limited to its time frame, arguing it was “not clear” what would happen after parliamentarians disclosed their citizenship and produced documents, such as whether parliamentary committees would suggest who should be referred to the high court. | Andrews said that the “problems with the current proposal” were not limited to its time frame, arguing it was “not clear” what would happen after parliamentarians disclosed their citizenship and produced documents, such as whether parliamentary committees would suggest who should be referred to the high court. |
| Shorten will write to Turnbull on Thursday afternoon reiterating demands that the disclosure process occur within five days. Shorten has also criticised the standard of disclosures allowing parliamentarians to rely on their “belief” about dual citizenship status. | Shorten will write to Turnbull on Thursday afternoon reiterating demands that the disclosure process occur within five days. Shorten has also criticised the standard of disclosures allowing parliamentarians to rely on their “belief” about dual citizenship status. |
| At a press conference in Bundaberg, Queensland on Thursday, Shorten said Labor was seeking to amend the disclosure requirement to match the high court’s test for eligibility. Shorten said he and Turnbull had “made constructive progress” so it is “not all doom and gloom”, despite the inconclusive meeting on Wednesday. | At a press conference in Bundaberg, Queensland on Thursday, Shorten said Labor was seeking to amend the disclosure requirement to match the high court’s test for eligibility. Shorten said he and Turnbull had “made constructive progress” so it is “not all doom and gloom”, despite the inconclusive meeting on Wednesday. |
| He accused Turnbull of having “a bit of a tantrum on television”, suggesting he was “under pressure”. | He accused Turnbull of having “a bit of a tantrum on television”, suggesting he was “under pressure”. |
| “We want MPs to universally disclose all their circumstances by 1 December. Mr Turnbull says it will take longer than that and therefore we may need to reconvene parliament. | “We want MPs to universally disclose all their circumstances by 1 December. Mr Turnbull says it will take longer than that and therefore we may need to reconvene parliament. |
| “I don’t want to see taxpayer dollars wasted, one more dollar wasted, sorting out his constitutional government crisis.” | “I don’t want to see taxpayer dollars wasted, one more dollar wasted, sorting out his constitutional government crisis.” |
| Shorten is understood to have lobbied that the resolution include a version of the “reasonable steps” test, in an attempt to protect Labor MPs including Justine Keay, who took steps to renounce her British citizenship although the renunciation was not effective until after the nomination deadline. | Shorten is understood to have lobbied that the resolution include a version of the “reasonable steps” test, in an attempt to protect Labor MPs including Justine Keay, who took steps to renounce her British citizenship although the renunciation was not effective until after the nomination deadline. |
| Labor insists that MPs and senators who took reasonable steps should not be disqualified, although Turnbull warned on Wednesday the high court decision was “very clear” in its strictly literal approach although Keay’s case may take “considerable legal debate”. | Labor insists that MPs and senators who took reasonable steps should not be disqualified, although Turnbull warned on Wednesday the high court decision was “very clear” in its strictly literal approach although Keay’s case may take “considerable legal debate”. |
| The high court’s citizenship-seven decision recast the test that MPs and senators must have taken “all steps reasonably required” by the foreign law, although constitutional experts say it is still unclear how it might deal with cases such as Keay’s. | The high court’s citizenship-seven decision recast the test that MPs and senators must have taken “all steps reasonably required” by the foreign law, although constitutional experts say it is still unclear how it might deal with cases such as Keay’s. |
| Australian citizenship | |
| Malcolm Turnbull | |
| Australian politics | |
| Kevin Andrews | |
| Australian media | |
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