Labor MP Susan Lamb broke down in Parliament during a deeply emotional speech about her absent mother and late father.
The Queensland politician was explaining to the chambers the painful reason why she could not provide documents needed for her British citizenship renunciation.
Her heartbreaking oration was met with stunned silence as she tearfully told parliament her mother abandoned her as a six-year-old and never came back.
The Queensland politician (pictured) was explaining to the chambers why she could not provide legal documents needed for her citizenship resignation after she was forced to renounce her British citizenship
Her heartbreaking oration was met with stunned silence as she tearfully told parliament her mother abandoned her as a six-year-old and never came back
‘It’s a complex and a traumatic story and a story that I don’t usually share,’ Ms Lamb said.
‘One day when I was around six years old, my mum dropped me off at school and she never came back to pick me up.
‘I don’t remember every detail about what happened afterwards, but I remember lots of tears… I remember lots of confusion… I remember my dad trying to explain.’
Ms Lamb has been staring down the barrel of an impending resignation after she could not provide her parents’ marriage certificate in order to renounce her British citizenship.
Instead, the 45-year-old went into harrowing detail about her non-existent relationship with the woman who gave birth to her.
Ms Lamb (pictured with Labor member Emma Husar) has been staring down the barrel of an impending resignation after she could not provide her parents’ marriage certificate in order to renounce her British citizenship
The 45-year-old went into harrowing detail about her non-existent relationship with the woman who gave birth to her
‘One day when I was around six years old, my mum dropped me off at school and she never came back to pick me up,’ she said.
She emotionally revealed why she could not simply ‘ring up’ her estranged mother to obtain the crucial document – and sadly explained her father is dead.
‘I don’t know what was going on in my mum’s life back then. I don’t know what’s going on in her life now. The fact is we don’t have a relationship. When people ask why I didn’t just call my mother, well this is why,’ she added.
Despite retaining her dual-citizenship, Ms Lamb remained steadfast she would not resign.
She implored the Coalition to sympathise with her tragic circumstances before passing the matter onto the High Court.
Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, is pictured consoling Susan Lamb after her emotional statement
Labor backbench MP Susan Lamb is comforted by Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten after making a statement at the end of House of Representatives Question Time
Despite retaining her dual-citizenship, Ms Lamb remained steadfast she would not resign
She implored the Coalition to sympathise with her tragic circumstances before passing the matter onto the High Court (Pictured hugging Labor member Linda Burney)
Ms Lamb emotionally revealed why she could not simply ‘ring up’ her estranged mother to obtain the crucial document – and sadly explained her father is dead
‘The fact is my mum is not around to grant me access to her marriage certificate. And dad, passed away more than 20 years ago,’ she said.
‘My mother wasn’t there at my 7th birthday or the one after that. Wasn’t there when my son was born or when he graduated. They have never met.
For the record, I’ve never held a British passport. In fact, I’ve never been top the UK in my life.’
Mr Lamb also told the chambers that she took advice from three independent barristers, including a retired judge of the Federal Court of Australia, who all agreed she took ‘reasonable steps’ to renounce her citizenship and was validly elected to parliament.
Ms Lamb broke down after explaining to the chambers why she could not provide her parents’ marriage certificate
Mr Lamb (Pictured with Bill Shorten) also told the chambers that she took advice from three independent barristers, including a retired judge of the Federal Court of Australia