What we know
- Tasmania’s highest-ranking Liberal believes he may be a British citizen by descent
- He has sought advice from the British Home office, and will resign if he is found to be British
- Senator Parry – elected to the Senate in 2004 – would be the first Liberal and first Tasmanian to become embroiled in the citizenship crisis that has claimed five politicians
I might be British: Senate President Parry
Tasmanian Liberal Senator and President of the Senate, Stephen Parry, believes he could be a British citizen and may need to resign.
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Senator Parry would become the first Liberal to be forced out of Parliament in the ongoing citizenship fiasco.
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Senator Parry said he had provided details and was seeking confirmation on his citizenship status from British authorities.
“Yesterday I wrote to the British Home Office seeking clarity as to the status of my citizenship with the United Kingdom,” the statement read.
“The British Home office has sought further details from me today, which I have provided, and I await a response.”
“Depending upon the outcome, I may seek further legal advice before reporting back to the Senate.”
Senator Parry said if he was found to hold British citizenship; “I will clearly be in breach of Section 44(1) of the Constitution and would therefore resign as President of the Senate”.
“I would further resign as a Senator for the State of Tasmania and not await the outcome of any referral to the High Court, as I believe the High Court has made it abundantly clear what action is required.”
Senator Parry’s full statement:
“After the unanimous ruling handed down by the High Court of Australia on Friday last, there is now absolute clarity about the application of Section 44 of the Australian Constitution.
“As a result of this I have had cause to examine my citizenship status in relation to my late father having being born in the United Kingdom.
"My father moved to Australia as a boy in 1951.
“He married my mother in 1960 and I was born that same year in Burnie.
“I have always regarded my late father as Australian, particularly as he undertook his national service and participated as a member of the Australian Army Reserve and voted in every Australian election since adulthood.
“Yesterday I wrote to the British Home Office seeking clarity as to the status of my citizenship with the United Kingdom.
“This was the first opportunity to do so since the High Court ruling.
“The British Home office has sought further details from me today, which I have provided, and I await a response.
“Depending upon the outcome, I may seek further legal advice before reporting back to the Senate.
“In any event I will report the result of the investigation and any subsequent advice to the Senate.
“In the event that I am found to hold British citizenship by virtue of my father’s status, then I will clearly be in breach of Section 44(1) of the Constitution and would therefore resign as President of the Senate.
“I would further resign as a Senator for the State of Tasmania and not await the outcome of any referral to the High Court, as I believe the High Court has made it abundantly clear what action is required.”
As President of the Senate, Senator Parry is the Liberals’ most senior ranking Tasmanian.
It comes several days after the High Court ruled that Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, and four senators, were invalidly elected because they were dual citizens.
Senator Parry is the first Tasmanian to be embroiled in the citizenship crisis.
His resignation would pave the way for a countback and the return of former Senator Richard Colbeck, who was placed in an unwinnable sixth spot on the Liberals’ 2016 Senate ticket.
In his first speech in the Senate – on August 18, 2005 – Senator Parry spoke about his Australian roots.
"I am a Tasmanian by birth and come from a line of many generations of Tasmanians,” he said.
“In fact, I am a descendant of the First Fleet convicts who arrived on 26 January 1788 onboard the ships the Scarborough and the Prince of Wales.
“I left home at the age of 16—much to the joy of my mother, I think—joining the Tasmanian police force as one of their youngest ever recruits.
“After 10 years as a police officer I became a funeral director, eventually buying the longstanding family business with my wife, Allison.”
Colbeck comeback on the cards: Analyst
Political analyst Kevin Bonham believes the resignation of Senator Parry could create a “messy” situation in the event of a recount.
“If Parry is found ineligible it elects Richard Colbeck, but we have to wait on what those other effects are,” he said.
Mr Bonham predicts Australian Greens Senator Nick McKim and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation would battle for the 12th spot.
Mr Bonham said the distribution of preferences meant “it's all completely messy”.
He predicted the loss of a Liberal member would be devastating for the party’s standing.
“How many more, this is damaging for the Liberal Party because they were making out they had their processes in order and this is just a national thing,” he said.
“This is pretty damaging.
“The whole Liberal federal campaign in Tasmania was a disaster, particularly the Senate campaign.”
Mr Bonham said questions would be asked about who was vetting party candidates – but Malcolm Turnbull would welcome the return of the Devonport-based former Tourism Minister, Mr Colbeck.
“The Prime Minister will probably be glad to have Colbeck back on board – he was considered to be supportive compared to [Eric] Abetz,” he said.
‘Shocked for my friend’
Hobart-based Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has issued a statement:
“I am shocked by the news that my friend and colleague Senator Parry is seeking advice from the UK Government about his citizenship.
“Senator Parry has a long and distinguished career of service to the people of Tasmania and and Australia.
“If he is found ineligible, his departure would be a huge loss and I am hopeful that any advice from the United Kingdom will allow him to remain in the Senate.
“The Tasmanian Liberal Senate Team will continue to be a strong and effective voice for Tasmanians in the Federal Parliament to advance Tasmania’s interests.”
‘I thought this was over’: Polley
Tasmanian Labor Senator Helen Polley – who entered the Senate at the same time as Senator Parry – was “stunned” when she heard the citizenship news.
“Stephen Parry is so highly respected,” she said.
“He's a well-respected president of the Senate so this has come as an absolute shock to me.
“It has been a bolt out of the blue – he was really the last person I would have expected.
“I thought this was over when the High Court brought down their decision.
“Tasmania has been caught up in this.”
With Senator Parry getting caught in the citizenship web, Labor is now the only party without questions hanging over its members.
Senator Polley put it down to Labor’s “very thorough” process.
"Each time I've nominated for the Senate I've had to fill out the same forms each and every time,” she said.
Plibersek slams ‘a government in crisis’
Acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek declared the “Turnbull Government is lurching from crisis to crisis”.
“It’s extraordinary that the President of the Senate – who oversaw several High Court referrals – did not reflect on his own eligibility until just days ago,” she said.
“Malcolm Turnbull famously said that a failure to resolve eligibility issues showed ‘incredible sloppiness’ and ‘extraordinary negligence’.
Ms Plibersek said the Prime Minister had shown “terrible judgement throughout this sorry citizenship saga”.
“Malcolm Turnbull must tell Australians whether he knew there were doubts over Senator Parry’s eligibility,” she said.
“This revelation now raises questions about the Liberal Party's negligence when it comes to proper vetting processes.”