2017 Bennelong By-Election - LIBERAL RETAIN

[Bomberboyokay]

Hopefully the Liberals lose!

By political reporter Jane Norman
Updated 7 minutes ago

Federal Liberal MP John Alexander has resigned after saying he "cannot be certain" he is not a dual citizen.

Mr Alexander's father was born in Britain and it is unclear if he ever renounced his citizenship, meaning the MP may be a dual-British citizen by descent.

He will become the second Lower House Coalition MP to resign over the citizenship debacle.

"I have always believed that I am Australian and solely Australian," Mr Alexander said at a press conference.

"In view of recent events and the High Court decision, in my position, I have had to thoroughly examine my situation.

"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.

"Therefore, it is my obligation that I must resign. That's what I will do."

The Member for Bennelong was born in 1951, two years after the creation of Australian citizenship in 1949, and says he intends to contest a by-eleciton in his seat.

"I think there is a great need for certainty, to clarify the situation and to do so as expeditiously as possible," he said.

"I will seek the support of my party to contest the by-election for Bennelong."

Alexander concedes he is 'most likely' a dual citizen

While Mr Alexander admitted there is still confusion as to whether he does hold dual-British citizenship, he said there was enough to doubt to force his resignation.

"It is not absolutely conclusive, but the probability of evidence is that I most likely am [a dual citizen]," he said.

"I think I simply got to the point I couldn't hold the belief with the level of certainty that I think I needed to have."

Mr Alexander also said he was encouraged to make a swift decision by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

"I spoke to the Prime Minister late yesterday. I told him of my intentions," Mr Alexander said.

"He encouraged me to be decisive, to act expeditiously, and to put things beyond any question of doubt, and that's what I think the people of Bennelong want, and Australia is tired of this absurd situation."

Mr Turnbull was informed of Mr Alexander's situation on Monday, at which point the Sydney-based MP began contacting British authorities for clarification.

The ongoing citizenship scandal can now add Mr Alexander to a list of victims that also includes former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and senators Fiona Nash, Scott Ludlam, Larissa Waters and Malcolm Roberts, who were all found to have breached that section of the constitution.

Mr Alexander's announcement is the biggest blow yet to the Coalition, and together with Mr Joyce's resignation, will seriously test its numbers in the House of Representatives for the final two sitting weeks of the year.

The Government was elected with a one-seat majority, but with the loss of Mr Alexander and Mr Joyce, it will now be forced to temporarily rely on the crossbench for confidence and supply.

While Mr Joyce has a strong chance of winning back his seat of New England, the Bennelong by-election will present a tougher challenge for the Coalition.

Mr Alexander holds Bennelong by a safe margin, and it has been a long-term Liberal seat, but Labor's Maxine McKew defeated then-prime minister John Howard in 2007.

He conceded there is a chance he could lose, but said his time as a tennis player taught him "all you can concern yourself with is to play the game as best you can, and within the rules".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-...resign-amid-dual-citizenship-concerns/9138814

 

[Dry Rot]

Map of Bennelong

http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/nsw/files/2016/2016-aec-nsw-a4-map-bennelong.pdf

 

[Dry Rot]

Profile of the electorate

http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/nsw/bennelong.htm

 

[Dry Rot]

Results last election, Alexander won comfortably

http://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/HouseDivisionPage-20499-105.htm

 

[Goldenblue]

I think the Liberals will win this one hands down

 

[Dry Rot]

I think the Liberals will win this one hands down

They should. State issues could raise their head.

If they do win, hopefully there's a massive swing against them, destabilising Turnbull and causing a lot of trouble.

 

[ep2018]

My guess is almost every potential by-election will see the incumbent win easily. I think most Australians will feel that these people were hard done by with the dual citizen issue and will be voted in accordingly.

 

[NSWCROW]

 

[Dry Rot]

Conventional wisdom says that Alexander will piss it in, but that assumes a Lib vs ALP fight.

A high profile candidate like Dick Smith could really stir the pot. Wedges Alexander too if he chases the Asian vote there.

 

[cartwright]

They should. State issues could raise their head.

If they do win, hopefully there's a massive swing against them, destabilising Turnbull and causing a lot of trouble.

Wasn’t there quite a swing against Libs in council elections in September ?

 

[pazza]

After McKew got royally screwed by a bloke who we have found has had no business being there in the first place, that damning case means the Liberals are screwed.

 

[Crankyhawk]

My guess is almost every potential by-election will see the incumbent win easily. I think most Australians will feel that these people were hard done by with the dual citizen issue and will be voted in accordingly.

Or be angry at their failure to follow basic rules and be punished just like when the cops catch you with a speed camera.

 

[Benny78]

Labor will crash or bring back the property market. No way will anyone in that region vote for them.

 

[pazza]

Labor will crash or bring back the property market. No way will anyone in that region vote for them.

Except for those who are struggling to pay the exorbitant rent and energy prices caused by privatisation AND ONLY PRIVATISATION.

 

[Dry Rot]

ALP taking an interesting line in Bennelong re the govt's proposed changes to much harder citizenship tests and standards

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ennelong-but-warns-of-liberal-one-nation-deal

 

[Hank Scorpion]

Scheduled for December 16.

It took Sharkie and Keay well over a month to lose their UK citizenship, and another fortnight or so to receive confirmation. Nominations close November 23, so presumably Alexander's got little chance of getting his paperwork sorted in time?

 

[Dry Rot]

Scheduled for December 16.

It took Sharkie and Keay well over a month to lose their UK citizenship, and another fortnight or so to receive confirmation. Nominations close November 23, so presumably Alexander's got little chance of getting his paperwork sorted in time?

That looks a real risk, so I don't get the rush for the early date.

Would be hugely amusing if Alexander ****s it up, and the Libs have to run a fresh new unknown candidate.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

I read an article this morning that ALP tried to recruit economist Andrew Charlton to run in Bennelong. Charlton was a former economic adviser to Kevin Rudd and runs his own economic consultancy business. Charlton has apparently turned them down. But it does show that the ALP is serious about chipping away at Bennelong with a view to winning it in the general election.

 

[NSWCROW]

 

[GreyCrow]

Scheduled for December 16.

It took Sharkie and Keay well over a month to lose their UK citizenship, and another fortnight or so to receive confirmation. Nominations close November 23, so presumably Alexander's got little chance of getting his paperwork sorted in time?

Thank you, this was my thinking as well. Suddenly everybody can find the paperwork in 21 days and it took others twice that?? If I am an opposing candidate for that seat I would hound and hound and hound for the paperwork to be shown that is signed off not '' in the process of''

 

[Lebbo73]

I heard him say that earlier. Not good!

 

[Dry Rot]

Is it conceivable that this twat could stuff up nominating for his seat?

 

[NSWCROW]

Is it conceivable that this twat could stuff up nominating for his seat?

I have no doubt

 

[Reynolds Number]

Just as bad as a pollie as he was as a commentator on 7 lol.

 

[Jascave]

Labor has announced that former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally will be a candidate for the seat of Bennelong on December 16.


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