- Federal Liberal MP and member for Bennelong, John Alexander, has resigned
- He announced his decision on Saturday following citizenship concerns
- The 66-year-old’s father, Gilbert Alexander, was born in the United Kingdom
Federal Liberal MP John Alexander has announced his resignation from parliament after saying he ‘cannot be certain’ he is not a dual citizen.
The 66-year-old member for Bennelong, in Sydney’s north, held a press conference on Saturday to announce his resignation, ABC reports.
‘Given what I have learned about the Constitution and understanding now of the High Court decision just a couple of weeks ago, I can no longer, with sufficient certainty, maintain the belief that I have held through my 66 years,’ Mr Alexander said
‘Therefore, it is my obligation that I must resign. That’s what I will do.’
Liberal member for Bennelong John Alexander has resigned over citizenship concerns
Mr Alexander conceded he didn’t renounce his British citizenship before he became an MP in 2010.
The former tennis champ may have British citizen through his father Gilbert Alexander, who was born in the U.K.
‘It is not absolutely conclusive, but the probability of evidence is that I most likely am [a dual citizen],’ Mr Alexander told media.
The Turnbull Government has been dealt another dual citizenship blow after former tennis champ John Alexander (pictured) resigned on Friday
The bombshell comes less than a week after Tasmanian-born Stephen Parry quit as Senate president and as a member of parliament after the British Home Office confirmed he was a dual U.K. citizen through his father.
Late last month, former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash was forced out of the Senate after the High Court ruled she was a British citizen by descent through her Scottish-born father.
The same judges also ruled that former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce was a dual New Zealander by descent, forcing the Nationals leader to fight a December by-election in his northern New South Wales seat of New England.