Facepalm: Another Senator, Stephen Parry, Resigns After Finding Out He's a Dual Citizen

It's happening again.

Liberal Party Senator for Tasmania, Stephen Parry, will resign after British authorities confirmed he is a dual citizen, just five days after the High Court's decision to rule five of the seven referred politicians (dubbed the Citizenship Seven) ineligible to sit in Parliament.

In a statement to the Senate, Parry admitted that the British Home Office had confirmed that he was also British by descent. 

"I will submit my resignation as both President of the Senate and Senator for Tasmania to His Excellency the Governor-General tomorrow," he wrote in the statement.

Senator Parry earlier wrote in an initial statement that, after the decision of the High Court, he believed there was more clarity surrounding the section of the Constitution (Section 44) that doesn't allow for dual citizens.

"As a result of this, I have had cause to examine my citizenship status in relation to my late father having being born in the United Kingdom," Senator Parry's statement read.

"This was the first opportunity to do so since the High Court ruling. The British Home office has sought further details from me today, which I have provided, and I await a response." 

Senator Parry did not offer an explanation as to why he hadn't enquired about his citizenship status earlier this year when other politicians admitted their uncertainty. Or perhaps, even before he was elected as a Senator in 2004? Or maybe when he decided to enter politics in the first place...

Back in July, two Greens Senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, resigned from their places in the Senate while they waited for the High Court to make its decision regarding their eligibility. After this announcement, an influx of precisely five other politicians, including former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, announced they also might be dual citizens.

While the two Greens Senators stepped down following the announcement, the remaining five—which included One Nation's Malcolm Roberts, the Coalition's Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash, Matt Canavan and Nick Xenophon Team's Nick Xenophon (who later stepped away from Federal politics before the High Court announcement)—continued to work in their elected capacity.

They were all, except for Canavan and Xenophon, found to be ineligible last week, which has lead to further outrage over why they didn't step down when they first announced their potential ineligibility.

Due to yet another announcement of dual citizenship by an elected parliamentarian, some politicians have called for an audit of all current Senators and Members of Parliament to settle the issue once and for all.

It hasn't stopped people from poking a bit of fun over the incredulous situation.

am i the only person in australia who isn't a dual citizen

— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) October 31, 2017

There has never been a more exciting time to be a dual citizen.

— Chris Kenny (@chriskkenny) October 31, 2017

Watch this space because it's definitely far from over.

4.17pm, Wednesday, November 1: This story has been updated to reflect Stephen Parry's resignation. It was originally published under the title "Facepalm: Another Senator Admits He Might Be a Dual Citizen".

Photo: iStock.com/kokkai