Pollies getting back to their roots (no, not in the bedroom)...

Never mind corruption or social media misuse or financial irresponsibility. Currently Australian politics seems to be in the grip of an entirely new trend: dual citizenship! Under Australian Constitutional law, you cannot serve in Federal Parliament if you hold citizenship of a foreign country, which I can understand for loyalty reasons. Yet, in fast succession, three currently serving figures have been revealed to be holding such citizenship. First, Greens Senator Scott Ludlam (New Zealand), then Liberal MP Larissa Waters (Canada) and now National Party Senator (and I'm ashamed to say fellow Central Queenslander) Matthew Canavan (Italy), whom I have an unpostable nickname for.

The real sting in the tale for Canavan is that he unwittingly acquired Italian citizenship as a result of none other than his mother registering for it herself in 2006. (“Grazie, Mama!”) He was 25 in 2006, so obviously when she did that he was a legal adult already, but now he's subsequently lost his Cabinet position thanks to her. Won't she be getting a lovely Mother's Day present next year...

Now, admittedly I definitely have a few more politicians who I'd love to see this fate befall, but in all seriousness, this whole revolving door (like that of the prime ministerial merry-go-round) is dangerous for Australia's image overseas in an organisational and diplomatic sense. I hope it becomes a wake-up call for all current and future federal MPs, to check up on their citizenship and allegiances before taking office. It would also save them and their families much personal scrutiny.