Bans Lawmakers: British-Born Father and Ruling Coalition

bans lawmakers: He would be the latest lawmaker found to have breached of an obscure clause in the nation's constitution that bans lawmakers from holding dual citizenship, according to Toronto Star. The High Court on Friday disqualified five lawmakers from sitting in Parliament on the grounds that they were citizens of both Australia and another country, a breach of the clause that only came to light in July. Stephen Parry, a senator who is president of Australia's upper house, said he has contacted authorities in the United Kingdom to check if he holds dual citizenship because of his British-born father. The five included Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, the leader of the National Party, the junior partner in Liberal's ruling coalition. Although most lawmakers in multi-cultural Australia have been checking into their citizenship status since the crisis erupted, Parry said he had only examined his own case after the High Court's decision on Friday. Joyce has renounced the New Zealand citizenship he inherited from his father but still must win a byelection if he wants to return to his seat. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.