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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Q&A: Lambie says early election is a prospect as government 'falling apart' | Q&A: Lambie says early election is a prospect as government 'falling apart' |
| (2 months later) | |
| Former Tasmanian senator says the government has many more MPs and senators who will be tripped up over dual citizenship | |
| Calla Wahlquist | |
| Mon 20 Nov 2017 20.01 GMT | |
| Last modified on Mon 20 Nov 2017 23.32 GMT | |
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| Six days after resigning from parliament over her dual citizenship status, the former Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie is already on the hustings. | Six days after resigning from parliament over her dual citizenship status, the former Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie is already on the hustings. |
| Speaking on the ABC’s Q&A on Monday night, Lambie was enthusiastic about the possibility that the government might lose so many MPs it would be forced to hold a general election, which would allow the 46-year-old, her UK citizenship now formally renounced, to run again. | Speaking on the ABC’s Q&A on Monday night, Lambie was enthusiastic about the possibility that the government might lose so many MPs it would be forced to hold a general election, which would allow the 46-year-old, her UK citizenship now formally renounced, to run again. |
| She said many other parliamentarians, whose names were yet to join either the seven who have resigned over their dual citizenship status or those who had declared they may have an issue, were anxiously awaiting confirmation of their status. | She said many other parliamentarians, whose names were yet to join either the seven who have resigned over their dual citizenship status or those who had declared they may have an issue, were anxiously awaiting confirmation of their status. |
| “They’re falling apart … It is shocking up there,” Lambie said. | “They’re falling apart … It is shocking up there,” Lambie said. |
| She said the government should “absolutely” call an election, adding: “I’m in, I’ve renounced, I’m ready to go. | She said the government should “absolutely” call an election, adding: “I’m in, I’ve renounced, I’m ready to go. |
| “The dual citizenship will finish them [the government] off,” she said. “I think there’s a lot more people going down than what they’re saying. There was one person who came up to me, and I won’t mention names because I’m not like that, saying, ‘I think I’m in trouble.’ They haven’t even been mentioned in the paper.” | “The dual citizenship will finish them [the government] off,” she said. “I think there’s a lot more people going down than what they’re saying. There was one person who came up to me, and I won’t mention names because I’m not like that, saying, ‘I think I’m in trouble.’ They haven’t even been mentioned in the paper.” |
| People wildly applauded Lambie for this but it wasn't until about 124 days after the dual citizenship saga began that she checked her status #qanda pic.twitter.com/16YqkYUXza | People wildly applauded Lambie for this but it wasn't until about 124 days after the dual citizenship saga began that she checked her status #qanda pic.twitter.com/16YqkYUXza |
| But Lambie rejected a call from a fellow panellist and Greens senator for Victoria, Janet Rice, for a referendum on section 44(1) of the constitution, saying the priority for a referendum should be Indigenous constitutional recognition. | But Lambie rejected a call from a fellow panellist and Greens senator for Victoria, Janet Rice, for a referendum on section 44(1) of the constitution, saying the priority for a referendum should be Indigenous constitutional recognition. |
| The attorney general, George Brandis, said that a general election just 14 months after the last general election was “the last thing the Australian people want”. He denied the government was in crisis over the scandal which cost the Coalition two of its lower house MPs, including the deputy prime minister. | The attorney general, George Brandis, said that a general election just 14 months after the last general election was “the last thing the Australian people want”. He denied the government was in crisis over the scandal which cost the Coalition two of its lower house MPs, including the deputy prime minister. |
| Brandis said concerns raised about the risk that politicians could be ruled ineligible by one of the other sections of s44, not just the citizenship issue, would be dealt with as and when allegations were made. | Brandis said concerns raised about the risk that politicians could be ruled ineligible by one of the other sections of s44, not just the citizenship issue, would be dealt with as and when allegations were made. |
| “If there is clear evidence of a problem, there is an orthodox process for dealing with it,” he said. “An orthodox process for dealing with a problem that is being followed does not a crisis make.” | “If there is clear evidence of a problem, there is an orthodox process for dealing with it,” he said. “An orthodox process for dealing with a problem that is being followed does not a crisis make.” |
| Stephen O’Dougherty, a former New South Wales MP and Christian radio host, said the issue had become less about eligibility than about trust. | Stephen O’Dougherty, a former New South Wales MP and Christian radio host, said the issue had become less about eligibility than about trust. |
| “If we now know there are MPs who knew they were not eligible but sat on their hands, that’s a question of trust,” O’Dougherty said. “When you lose trust you’ve lost the nation.” | “If we now know there are MPs who knew they were not eligible but sat on their hands, that’s a question of trust,” O’Dougherty said. “When you lose trust you’ve lost the nation.” |
| Earlier, an 18-year-old high school student, Milly Roper, asked if the marriage equality debate had been hijacked by conservatives who had, in the wake of the overwhelming 61.6% yes vote, pivoted to a debate on religious freedoms. | Earlier, an 18-year-old high school student, Milly Roper, asked if the marriage equality debate had been hijacked by conservatives who had, in the wake of the overwhelming 61.6% yes vote, pivoted to a debate on religious freedoms. |
| Brandis said limited provisions guaranteeing religious freedom were not in conflict with the rights of LGBTQI people provided they were limited to the right for religious organisations or celebrants to decide who to marry. | Brandis said limited provisions guaranteeing religious freedom were not in conflict with the rights of LGBTQI people provided they were limited to the right for religious organisations or celebrants to decide who to marry. |
| If they were extended to allow discrimination in the broader community, covering the oft-cited bakers and florists whose services might be sought by same-sex couples, Brandis said that would amount to winding back anti-discrimination laws. | If they were extended to allow discrimination in the broader community, covering the oft-cited bakers and florists whose services might be sought by same-sex couples, Brandis said that would amount to winding back anti-discrimination laws. |
| “You can’t discriminate against gay people in the provision of goods and services,” he said. | “You can’t discriminate against gay people in the provision of goods and services,” he said. |
| The absolute gall of religious people complaining about being discriminated against by gay people #qanda pic.twitter.com/pu5QPcHhQT | The absolute gall of religious people complaining about being discriminated against by gay people #qanda pic.twitter.com/pu5QPcHhQT |
| Parliament has already spent more than 40 hours debating the marriage equality legislation drafted with cross-party support by the Liberal senator Dean Smith. | Parliament has already spent more than 40 hours debating the marriage equality legislation drafted with cross-party support by the Liberal senator Dean Smith. |
| The bill contains freedom of religion provisions but Brandis said the government would borrow from article 18 of the international covenant on civil and political rights to include a declaratory statement to provide extra assurance. | The bill contains freedom of religion provisions but Brandis said the government would borrow from article 18 of the international covenant on civil and political rights to include a declaratory statement to provide extra assurance. |
| “It would do no harm to have a declaratory statement in the first bill, to the effect that nothing in the bill can limit or take away from a person’s right to manifest their religious faiths by worship, practice or teaching,” he said. “If we introduce those words, they’ll make no difference whatsoever to the right of same-sex people to marry but might provide a level of reassurance for those who were not convinced to vote yes.” | “It would do no harm to have a declaratory statement in the first bill, to the effect that nothing in the bill can limit or take away from a person’s right to manifest their religious faiths by worship, practice or teaching,” he said. “If we introduce those words, they’ll make no difference whatsoever to the right of same-sex people to marry but might provide a level of reassurance for those who were not convinced to vote yes.” |
| The Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor said Labor would look at any provisions proposed but suggested the debate around religious freedoms was a scare campaign. | The Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor said Labor would look at any provisions proposed but suggested the debate around religious freedoms was a scare campaign. |
| “It would be absurd, offensive and ironic that we would find ourselves going backwards in discriminating against same-sex couples in order to reintroduce and qualify anti-discrimination laws that exist already in this country,” O’Connor said. | “It would be absurd, offensive and ironic that we would find ourselves going backwards in discriminating against same-sex couples in order to reintroduce and qualify anti-discrimination laws that exist already in this country,” O’Connor said. |
| Q&A | |
| Australian Broadcasting Corporation | |
| Australian politics | |
| Jacqui Lambie | |
| Coalition | |
| Australian citizenship | |
| news | |
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