Resources Minister Matt Canavan has quit Cabinet after his mother told him he was an Italian citizen last week.

Key points: Canavan says his mother told him of his Italian citizenship last week

Canavan says his mother told him of his Italian citizenship last week Says he wasn't born in Italy and has never visited the country

Says he wasn't born in Italy and has never visited the country Government will refer the matter to the High Court when Parliament returns

Government will refer the matter to the High Court when Parliament returns Comes after resignations of Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam

The conservative Queensland senator was the minister for resources and northern Australia and is considered a rising star of the National Party.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will take over Senator Canavan's Cabinet responsibilities while his eligibility is determined by the High Court.

It comes just weeks after two Greens senators, Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam, resigned from Federal Parliament due to their own dual citizenship.

When Mr Ludlam resigned, claiming he had no idea he was a New Zealand citizen, the Prime Minister described it as a "remarkable oversight".

The constitution disqualifies potential candidates from election if they hold dual or plural citizenship.

Senator Canavan, who was elected in 2013, told reporters in Brisbane that he was not born in Italy and had never visited the country.

His mother, who has never visited Italy either and was born in Australia, registered herself and her son for overseas citizenship at the Italian consulate in Brisbane in 2006.

"According to the Italian Government, I am a citizen of Italy," Senator Canavan said.

Senator Canavan, a former chief of staff to Mr Joyce, said he did not sign the Italian citizenship papers himself.

"I had no knowledge that I had become an Italian citizen, nor had I requested to become an Italian citizen," he said.

"Following the resignation of [former] senators Ludlam and Waters last week, my mother raised with me the possibility that I was, in fact, an Italian citizen on Tuesday evening."

Who is Matt Canavan? A young, conservative minister seen as a rising star of the National party and a close ally of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. The 36-year-old Queensland senator was elected in 2013 and promoted to cabinet after the 2016 election. He's been a tireless advocate for the proposed Adani coal mine. He's a former executive at KPMG, an economist at the Productivity Commission and a chief of staff to Mr Joyce. Earlier this year he criticised Westpac bank's decision to refuse finance for mining projects in the Galilee basin, where the Adani mine would be based. Senator Canavan has repeatedly called on states to end state bans on gas exploration and extraction, accusing them of undermining energy security.

Matter to be referred to High Court

Attorney-General George Brandis said the Government would refer the matter to the High Court when Parliament returns.

"It is the Government's preliminary view that because the registration was obtained without Senator Canavan's knowledge or consent, that he is not in breach of Section 44 of the constitution," he said.

In a statement, Senator Canavan said he would not resign from Parliament.

"In the short time available I have not been able to obtain definitive legal advice as to whether my registration as an Italian citizen, without my knowledge or consent, was valid under Italian law," he said.

"I am seeking to obtain that advice presently."

'I've never seen a Parliament like this one'

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Labor frontbencher Tony Burke said he did not think anyone could blame Senator Canavan given "he has never been to Italy and had no way of knowing".

"I remember when Malcolm Turnbull was gloating — it was a bit vicious at the time — about the Greens making some of these errors," he said.

"I did have a thought, 'we'll be careful about going too hard at this point in time', and now that looks like exactly what's happened to a very serious minister."

Mr Burke did not criticise Senator Canavan for staying in Parliament pending a High Court determination.

"I've never seen a Parliament like this one — we're a year into it and we're still working out who's allowed in and who's not," he said.

It is not yet known whether Senator Canavan will refrain from voting in the Upper House until his eligibility is determined.