Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Some 700,000 Australians are affected by penalty rate cuts. It's an absolute disgrace, yet we have a Deputy Prime Minister in this parliament who is continuing to collect his pay as an executive member of this government when his citizenship is in no doubt. He has spent his entire parliamentary career as a dual citizen of New Zealand, making him unfit to be a member of this parliament. Yet here he is, collecting his pay as the Deputy Prime Minister of this parliament and this nation, when he has been involved in cutting the pay of 700,000 Australians who depend on their penalty rates to meet the most basic living expenses. Here he is, living high on the hog. This government depends on the tainted vote of this Deputy Prime Minister to keep their show running. This is an illegitimate, tainted government.

Here we have a comment from the Prime Minister about what should have happened:

It is pretty amazing, isn't it, that you've had two out of nine Greens senators who didn't realise that they were citizens of another country—

That was in relation to Ludlam and Waters—

and it shows incredible sloppiness on their part. You know, when you nominate for parliament, there is actually a question. You've got to address that Section 44 question, you've got to tick the box and confirm that you're not a citizen of another country.

One rule for others, another rule for this Deputy Prime Minister, who should not be in this place.