Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore Just Announced That Yep, She Too Is A Dual Citizen

The never-ending dual citizenship crisis has struck again! Nick Xenophon Team senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore has announced she’s a dual British citizen and will be resigning from Parliament.

At a press conference at midday today, Kakoschke-Moore confirmed that she inherited dual British citizenship from her mother, who was born in Singapore when it was still a British colony.

“My mother was born in Singapore in 1957 to British parents. She migrated to Australia with her family in 1970,” she said. “I am heartbroken by this news”.

Kakoschke-Moore explained that she had always understood that British citizens born outside the UK could not pass their citizenship on to children also born outside the UK. “It was my understanding for my entire life that I was not eligible for British citizenship due to that rule,” she said, citing unsuccessful past attempts to seek eligibility for a British passport.

The complexity of Skye Kakoschke-Moore's family and citizenship circumstances should really put an end to the facile "just read the form" contributions of Tooter's battalion of constitutional scholars

— Stephen Murray (@smurray38) November 22, 2017

Fighting back tears, she then reflected on her parliamentary career. “My time as a Senator has been the most fulfilling of my life. I am proud to say that when I reflect on my first speech, many of the goals that I set for myself, and those which I couldn’t imagine at that time, have already been achieved.” She cited her work lobbying for compensation for victims of abuse in the Defence industry, and her work in securing a trial of assistance dogs for veterans with PTSD as some of her most important work.

As for how she will be replaced in the Senate, Kakoschke-Moore said she would ask for the matter to be referred to the High Court.

The Nick Xenophon Team has now lost half of its MPs, including Nick Xenophon, which is awkward given the name of their team. One of its remaining MPs, Rebekha Sharkie, has also been told that she may need to refer herself to the High Court because she may not have renounced her citizenship in time.

Kakoschke-Moore is the ninth politician to exit Parliament over citizenship woes, but she’s unlikely to be the last. Under the disclosure scheme agreed to by the major parities, all parliamentarians have until the first week of December to provide documents proving their citizenship status and eligibility to sit in parliament. We’ll find out in the next few weeks if there are any more surprises.