Dual citizenship crisis could have been avoided

Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 2-Jan-19

Former attorney-general Daryl Williams proposed changes to section 44 of the Constitution in 1997 which would have avoided the need for MPs to resign in recent years due to their dual citizenship status. The National Archives has released cabinet papers which show that the Coalition government was open to holding a referendum on the issue if it had bipartisan support in parliament. The total cost of by-elections and legal bills arising from the dual citizenship crisis is tipped to exceed $24m.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS

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