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Bill Shorten Proves Once And For All He's Not A Dual Citizen

He shut it down after days of taunts from the government.
Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten tables the renunciation of his British citizenship at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 4 September 2017.
Andrew Meares
Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten tables the renunciation of his British citizenship at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 4 September 2017.

Bill Shorten has shown Parliament proof he renounced his dual UK citizenship, as he urges Malcolm Turnbull to stand aside Barnaby Joyce before he takes up the role of acting Prime Minister.

The Opposition Leader revealed his renunciation documents on Monday, hours after former prime minister Tony Abbott called on him to do so or "shut up" about the issue, which has seen numerous questions over some MPs' right to sit in Parliament before the High Court.

"I suspect the Prime Minster and his colleagues knew the claim about me to be completely false," Shorten said.

"But that's not their motive. Their tactic is clear.

"It is to do anything –- no matter how desperate -– to distract from the crisis of legitimacy shrouding this government."

The document Opposition Leader Bill Shorten just tabled, confirming his U.K. Citizenship was renounced on June 26, 2006 @aapnewswire#auspolpic.twitter.com/IPYEfOD9Pt

— Roje Adaimy (@rojeadaimy) September 4, 2017

Shorten on Monday called on Turnbull to stand down Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce until the High Court rules on his eligibility to sit in Parliament after it was revealed the National's leader has New Zealand dual citizenship.

"The Opposition will not in any way attempt to stop you travelling overseas and fulfilling your duties," Shorten said in a letter to the PM.

"However, I urge you to stand Mr Joyce aside and temporarily appoint a deputy Prime Minister in his place.

"A failure to do so so before your overseas travel will put the legitimacy of your entire government into question."

Shorten urged the Government to present to parliament its legal advice it is relying on to give it the confidence to let Joyce continue as deputy PM.

Turnbull will fly to Samoa for the Pacific Islands forum. In his absence, Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce will fill the role of acting PM.

Under section 44 of the constitution, an MP cannot have dual citizenship and sit in parliament, and there are questions about at least seven MPs citizenship status.

In July Abbott, who was born in London, tweeted his renunciation documentation.

Abbott has been hounding Shorten over his citizenship after the government referred a number of MPs to the High Court after their dual citizenship status was called into question.

.@TonyAbbottMHR says @billshortenmp needs to show proof he has no citizenship question to answer or 'shut up'. More: https://t.co/HlBVizIWUspic.twitter.com/kEkQC4MM9x

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 3, 2017

Shorten had maintained he was not a dual citizen but had refused up to now to provide his renunciation documents.

The dual citizenship debacle will return to the High Court October 10, 11 and 12.

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