“We are not waiting for the High Court to decide whether there will be a byelection in Batman. We are starting now, putting all federal parties on notice,” he said.

“It is time for Bill Shorten to get off the fence and get on the record: he must oppose the Adani coal mine if he wants to win the seat of Batman. Likewise, the government needs to pay heed to the Queensland election result and reverse its current support for the Adani coalmine."

Mr Feeney referred himself to the High Court because he cannot prove he renounced his UK dual citizenship - forbidden under the constitution - before entering Parliament. If he cannot produce the relevant documents in the coming weeks he will either resign from his seat or be disqualified, forcing the byelection.

Party hardheads do not believe Mr Feeney can hang on to the seat - which he holds on a margin of just one per cent - particularly given the Greens' thumping victory in the state Northcote beyelection last year.

Many in Labor believe Mr Feeney should retire and make way for another candidate who has a better chance of suppressing the Greens vote.