Citizenship debacle cost taxpayers $11 million
The parliamentary citizenship crisis cost the Australian taxpayers $11 million in legal fees according to recent budget documents.
That figure, which doesn’t include the cost of by-elections in Barnaby Joyce’s seat of New England or John Alexander’s seat in Bennelong, was provided in the Government’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO).
Attorney-General George Brandis argued in October that the costs of all parties should be covered by the taxpayer because solving the section 44 crisis was in the public interest.
He said “most people would accept that there is a very important public interest here in getting this section of the constitution right”.
What do you think? Should the taxpayers foot the bill for the legal defence of politicians who were found to be serving illegally? What about those that remain under a citizenship cloud?
Bill Shorten and Mark Dreyfus have been dishonest by claiming that Labor's vetting process was impeccable.
Shorten's claim that the laws have been changed is untrue.
He is afraid to go against union calls.
Well it makes you wonder what is actually involved in this so called satisfactory vetting process.