Citizenship Seven: Here's how things played out

Updated

The seven justices of the High Court have delivered their rulings on the fates of the Citizenship Seven.

So who is staying and who is being shown the door?

Loser: Barnaby Joyce (Nationals)

Mr Joyce was ruled to have been ineligible because of his dual citizenship with New Zealand, acquired because his father was born there. He will have to fight a by-election for his seat of New England on December 2.

It means the Government has lost its one-seat majority at least until after that by-election. Decisions he has taken in his ministerial roles in Agriculture and Resources could also be challenged.

His old opponent Tony Windsor has said he will not recontest the seat.

Loser: Fiona Nash (Nationals)

Senator Nash was ruled ineligible as a dual citizen because her father was born in Scotland.

The High Court is likely to order a recount and the Senate spot could go to Liberal Hollie Hughes, who was next on the Coalition Senate ticket at the last election.

That would mean a change in the Coalition balance as Senator Nash is a National and Ms Hughes is a Liberal.

There could be pressure for the party to find a way for Senator Nash to return to the Upper House.

She held onto her ministerial roles while the High Court process was going on, but a reshuffle would now be required.

Loser: Malcolm Roberts (One Nation)

The High Court had already ruled Senator Roberts was a dual UK citizen when he nominated for Parliament; it has now ruled him ineligible.

He had claimed he never believed himself to be anything other than Australian, despite being born in India to a Welsh father and only signing a form to become an Australian citizen in his late teens.

Senator Roberts' lawyers argued his case was the strongest of the seven, because he had at least made inquiries to UK authorities about his status — however comically misguided those inquiries were found to be.

His official renunciation of his British citizenship was not registered until months after the election.

The High Court will ask for a recount to determine his replacement. The next One Nation candidate on the Queensland ticket is Fraser Anning.

Loser: Scott Ludlam (Greens)

The Greens co-deputy leader had already resigned because he found out he had dual citizenship with New Zealand; the High Court has now ruled he was ineligible to be elected.

The Electoral Commission will do a recount to replace him. Next on the Greens ticket in Western Australia is Jordan Steele-John, a young Greens activist who has cerebral palsy.

Loser: Larissa Waters (Greens)

Senator Waters, former Greens co-deputy leader, had already quit because she had not renounced her Canadian dual citizenship.

The High Court has now ruled her out and will order a recount. She would be replaced by the next Green on the Queensland Senate ticket, Andrew Bartlett.

She has already said she would like to make a Senate return at some stage because she has "unfinished business she wants to continue".

Winner: Matt Canavan (Nationals)

The court ruled in favour of Senator Canavan, so he is cleared.

Senator Canavan's lawyer argued that Italian laws effectively meant someone could hold citizenship for many generations if no-one in a family line renounced their status.

He has regained the ministerial responsibilities he walked away from in July.

Winner: Nick Xenophon (NXT)

Senator Xenophon was ruled by the High Court to be eligible.

His sub-class of UK citizenship isn't deemed to give him the rights and privileges of a British subject. He can't enter the country as a British citizen, and he also can't live there — something considered key qualities for being a foreign national. There's also the quirk that had his father waited to leave Cyprus after the island nation had declared independence from the UK, he wouldn't be covered by UK overseas citizenship.

Whether the High Court found him eligible or not, Nick Xenophon had already said he will quit the Upper House and run for a state seat. Either way, NXT retains three senators but needs to choose a new leader.

His resignation from the Federal Parliament creates a casual vacancy and the NXT gets to choose the candidate to replace him. His staff member Rex Patrick is strongly tipped to take over the Senate seat. Mr Patrick was once a submariner in the navy and has also worked with former Liberal defence minister David Johnston.

Topics: federal-parliament, federal-elections, courts-and-trials, joyce-barnaby, political-parties, liberal-national-party, nationals, one-nation, australia

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