Bill Shorten refused to agree to release documents proving he has renounced his British citizenship eight times during a testy and awkward appearance on last night’s Q&A.

The federal opposition leader copped a grilling from host Tony Jones as talk on the ABC chat show turned to the growing citizenship scandal that has so far engulfed seven MPs.

Mr Shorten, whose father was born in England, had earlier told reporters that he had renounced his British citizenship in 2006.

But Mr Shorten refused to be pinned down on whether he would agree to release the documents to prove it, despite repeated attempts by Jones to press him on the matter.

“We don’t think we live in a nation where if someone makes an accusation you have to prove everything you say,” Mr Shorten said in response to Jones’ questioning. “I know I renounced my British citizenship.”

“Do you have the documents? Can you release them if necessary?” Jones asked again.

Mr Shorten responded that he had renounced his citizenship when he made plans to run for parliament.

Again Jones persisted: “So you've got the documents?” to which Mr Shorten replied “we've done all of that”.

Mr Shorten hit out at the Liberals for demanding ALP members' release documents.

“Just because a Liberal makes an accusation doesn't mean the rest of us have to start searching through the filing cabinets,” he said.

With Jones refusing to budge from his line of questioning, an increasingly testy Mr Shorten resorted to drawing comparisons with Donald Trump’s demands for Barack Obama to release his birth certificate.

“In America ... they keep making allegations after allegations,” Mr Shorten said.

“Barack Obama had to produce his birth certificate and then they said it was a fake. Some people are never going to be satisfied.

“I know what I am. We have a screening process. I’ve been cleared four times.

“What is the case to release (documents)? The High Court will resolve it.”

The citizenship scandal has left Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s one seat majority hanging in the balance after deputy Nationals leader Senator Nash became the latest from the Coalition to engulfed in the scandal on Friday.

The High Court will hold a directions hearing on Thursday in the cases of Senator Matthew Canavan, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts and Greens senators Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters.

The government believes the court may not hand down any decisions until October.

© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/08/22/08/52/bill-shorten-refuses-to-reveal-citizenship-documents

Come on, Billy. You can't attack one side of politics and then refuse to produce proof of your own citizenship. Doesn't work that way in the real world, dumbass. It's different than what you're used to in the Unions. Was fun to watch BS squirming very uncomfortably, though!

The author of that article must have been watching a different Q&A. 

I saw the one on ABC last night and there was no squirming by Shorten.  He hold his position of......we don't have to jump just because the Libs or anyone else throws an accusation.

He also made the point that Labor had made no accusation concerning any MP.  It was, he confirmed, the MPs themselves who raised the issue and caused the eventual High Court referral.

Aussie wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:22am:

The author of that article must have been watching a different Q&A.  I saw the one on ABC last night and there was no squirming by Shorten.  He hold his position of......we don't have to jump just because the Libs or anyone else throws an accusation. He also made the point that Labor had made no accusation concerning any MP.  It was, he confirmed, the MPs themselves who raised the issue and caused the eventual High Court referral.

They get NZ MPs to do it for them, eh? Gutless wonders.

Yes, i thought Shorten held his ground quite well.  Perhaps if the Coalition MPs and Senators who actually HAVE their citizenship in doubt actually had the moral fortitude to step aside until it was resolved, then you would have a point AP.

Vic wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:42am:

Yes, i thought Shorten held his ground quite well.  Perhaps if the Coalition MPs and Senators who actually HAVE their citizenship in doubt actually had the moral fortitude to step aside until it was resolved, then you would have a point AP.

Until BS and his 7 other ALP MPs produce proof of their citizenship, they ACTUALLY have their citizenship in doubt.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:47am:

Vic wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 10:42am: Yes, i thought Shorten held his ground quite well.  Perhaps if the Coalition MPs and Senators who actually HAVE their citizenship in doubt actually had the moral fortitude to step aside until it was resolved, then you would have a point AP. Until BS and his 7 other ALP MPs produce proof of their citizenship, they ACTUALLY have their citizenship in doubt.

Then let the Coalition, as the governing party ,show the leadership they purport to have and stand their MPs and Senators aside and require Labor to do the same.

Aussie wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:22am:

The author of that article must have been watching a different Q&A.  I saw the one on ABC last night and there was no squirming by Shorten.  He hold his position of......we don't have to jump just because the Libs or anyone else throws an accusation. He also made the point that Labor had made no accusation concerning any MP.  It was, he confirmed, the MPs themselves who raised the issue and caused the eventual High Court referral.

he didnt answer this thought did he?

Mr Jones continued to press, asking another three times whether Mr Shorten had the documents and could release them if necessary, but he didn’t get a straight answer.

“OK let’s just confirm this. You’re not going to release the documents, is that right?” an exasperated Mr Jones asked.
“Well I know what I am, and the point is we have a screening process,” Mr Shorten replied. “I’ve been clear four times.”
“No but, just ... So that’s a no, you’re not going to release the documents,” Mr Jones said.
“What is the case to release it?” Mr Shorten shot back.
“I’m just asking you,” Mr Jones said.




he didnt answer did he?.....just another sideshow...

if you have a piece of paper saying you did what you claim you did..

how easy is it to show everyone... ::) ::)..

a pollie has said he wants everyone to show their confirmations of where they rescinded their citizenship of another country...

I will accept that.....its so simple.. cost us nothing...

lets be honest those who wrote our constitution... would have also been citizens of another nation.....

btw Billy Hughes wasnt born here neither were his mum and dad....another crime. ::)

Vic wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:58am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 10:47am: Vic wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 10:42am: Yes, i thought Shorten held his ground quite well.  Perhaps if the Coalition MPs and Senators who actually HAVE their citizenship in doubt actually had the moral fortitude to step aside until it was resolved, then you would have a point AP. Until BS and his 7 other ALP MPs produce proof of their citizenship, they ACTUALLY have their citizenship in doubt. Then let the Coalition, as the governing party ,show the leadership they purport to have and stand their MPs and Senators aside and require Labor to do the same.

I cant remember how many.. but there were heaps of threads on Tony Abbotts claim he cancelled his british citiz.. there might have been hundreds......and then he received the paperwork in 2015.....confirming what he had claimed..

and then they shut up... :) :)

I wonder which side was making all that noise about a dual citizenship then... ::) ::) ::)

I always knew abbott’s Mumsy had taken care of all that for her thick as a brick son at the time he was applying for the Roads ( :) ) Scholarship .

Jovial Monk wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:14am:

I always knew abbott’s Mumsy had taken care of all that for her thick as a brick son.

oh dear you are so desperate   isnt it bad enough you support areshole shorten    ::) ::) I wouldnt want everyone to know something like that to be honest...

ok I know you lefties dont do "honest"  the more crooked the better it would seem.. :(

He needs to prove he's not a beluga whale.

---

Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it???

:-? :-? :-?

cods wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:16am:

Jovial Monk wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 11:14am: I always knew abbott’s Mumsy had taken care of all that for her thick as a brick son. oh dear you are so desperate   isnt it bad enough you support areshole shorten    ::) ::) I wouldnt want everyone to know something like that to be honest... ok I know you lefties dont do "honest"  the more crooked the better it would seem.. :(

Desperate? Nope.

I support Labor. Who can support the current incompetent, leaderless and divided band of spivs and crooks? More debt both public and private, less jobs, a piece of rubbish that costs $60Bn instead of a jobs creating broadband network and drifting into a war on the Korean Peninsula?

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:30am:

Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-?

No need , labor vette their candidates

Its time wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:41am:

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 11:30am: Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-? No need , labor vette their candidates

Why should anyone believe Bill the rapist?

Would you believe ANYTHING that oozed out of Bull S. ?

On Q&A the audience was a carefully picked Rent an Audience who would only ask prepared "Dorothy Dix questions" and so Bull S. could lie and deny as much as he pleased with complete safety.

Keep them guessing Bill just as Abbott did!

Good for the Goose etc!

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:30am:

Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-?

Why should he have to?

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:16am:

Come on, Billy. You can't attack one side of politics and then refuse to produce proof of your own citizenship. Doesn't work that way in the real world, dumbass. It's different than what you're used to in the Unions. Was fun to watch BS squirming very uncomfortably, though!

when did bill ask anyone to produce documents?  :D :D :D :D

you idiot

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:30am:

Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-?

Whilst on one hand I agree he should get it over and done with and shut them up, on the other hand I think, why should he? Screw the libs, if they can find any evidence of wrong doing, provide it, otherwise they can get stuffed.

Gillard tried to appease her accusers, she held a press conference and answered every question put to her for over an hour, did it stop the accusations?? No, they came back worse than ever.

the libs have always, in one form or another, accused every labor leader in recent history of one misdemeanour after another, if labor spent all it's time proving their innocence nothing else would get done. It would merely encourage the libs to keep going.

John Smith wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 12:48pm:

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 11:30am: Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-? Whilst on one hand I agree he should get it over and done with and shut them up, on the other hand I think, why should he? Screw the libs, if they can find any evidence of wrong doing, provide it, otherwise they can get stuffed. Gillard tried to appease her accusers, she held a press conference and answered every question put to her for over an hour, did it stop the accusations?? No, they came back worse than ever. the libs have always, in one form or another, accused every labor leader in recent history of one misdemeanour after another, if labor spent all it's time proving their innocence nothing else would get done. It would merely encourage the libs to keep going.

They simply manage to keep wedging themselves..... they have no plan but false debate in the form of ad hominem attack: which is always going to project things you don't necessarily want to give away for free.

They really are in a pickle these days.

The Libs desperation is showing!

Barnie "The Sheep Shagger's" party is a joke and the polls are showing the public have had enough!

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 1:18pm:

The Libs desperation is showing! Barnie "The Sheep Shagger's" party is a joke and the polls are showing the public have had enough! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Look at their supporters , springs and sprockets going all over the place as their heads disintegrate , and the best part is , they have another two years of humiliation , scandal and embarrassment to look forward to .

I am loving every moment  ;D

Its time wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:41am:

No need , labor vette their candidates

Is that like (Cor)vette? Give them a free ride?

TheFunPolice wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 12:39pm:

philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 11:30am: Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-? Why should he have to?

because Tony had to.. so did Obama   why should shortarse be above doing the right thing.....of course he did pay back the $40.000 donation he didnt admit to receiving.. 8 years after he would get a few ugly questions at a royal commission...

dont forget this is one thing he cant worm his ugly little arse out of.. the dates are all held in England...


do you think he is telling the truth?.... ::)

Its time wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 1:48pm:

Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:18pm: The Libs desperation is showing! Barnie "The Sheep Shagger's" party is a joke and the polls are showing the public have had enough! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Look at their supporters , springs and sprockets going all over the place as their heads disintegrate , and the best part is , they have another two years of humiliation , scandal and embarrassment to look forward to . I am loving every moment  ;D

boy are you going to look a goose if shitten doesnt come up with the proof.. ;D ;D ;D

I will love every moment of that as well.. ;D ;D ;D

cods wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 1:53pm:

Its time wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:48pm: Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:18pm: The Libs desperation is showing! Barnie "The Sheep Shagger's" party is a joke and the polls are showing the public have had enough! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Look at their supporters , springs and sprockets going all over the place as their heads disintegrate , and the best part is , they have another two years of humiliation , scandal and embarrassment to look forward to . I am loving every moment  ;D boy are you going to look a goose if shitten doesnt come up with the proof.. ;D ;D ;D I will love every moment of that as well.. ;D ;D ;D

He doesn't have to prove a thing , your team on the other hand  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Its time wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 1:54pm:

cods wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:53pm: Its time wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:48pm: Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 1:18pm: The Libs desperation is showing! Barnie "The Sheep Shagger's" party is a joke and the polls are showing the public have had enough! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Look at their supporters , springs and sprockets going all over the place as their heads disintegrate , and the best part is , they have another two years of humiliation , scandal and embarrassment to look forward to . I am loving every moment  ;D boy are you going to look a goose if shitten doesnt come up with the proof.. ;D ;D ;D I will love every moment of that as well.. ;D ;D ;D He doesn't have to prove a thing , your team on the other hand  ;D ;D ;D ;D

oh yes he does..... if its good enough for abbott and joyce its good enough for him....

he is after all demanding joyce step down...

cant have one law for the right and one for the born to rule left can we?.. ;D ;D ;D ;D

Cods, let's get one fact straight.  Abbott has not produced ONE document of his about renouncing.

At the time he was PM......this is what happened.  His Office (probably Credlin) contacts the British High Commission in Canberra and says....."Please give us a letter confirming the PM renounced his UK citizenship."

And the High Commission contacts the British Home Office which produces that letter, which is what Abbott has released.

He has refused to release, or allow the release of the document which has his signature on it, in which he renounces.

I reckon that will be because his Mother did it, and likely signed for him.

I'm praying the Libs refer him to high court to prove his citizenship , and can safely say he is hanging out for it as well , just to make you lightweights look even dumber than you already do

http://oi68.tinypic.com/2iitsk.jpg

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is not sympathetic, telling Channel 9 the Greens have simply been sloppy.
"It is pretty amazing, isn't it, that you've had two out of nine Greens senators who didn't realise that they were citizens of another country. And it shows incredible sloppiness on their part. You know, when you nominate for parliament, there is actually a question. You've got to address that Section 44 question, you've got to tick the box and confirm that you're not a citizen of another country. So, it is ... it's extraordinary negligence on their part."
Under Section 44 of the constitution, dual citizens are not eligible to be elected to parliament.
The same rule does not apply in countries like Britain and Canada.
British foreign secretary Boris Johnson renounced his United States citizenship last year, but only because he had to pay taxes there despite leaving as a five-year-old.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says his party does a proper vetting of each of its candidates before they can run for their seat.
"When you're a Labor candidate, you're required to confirm your citizenship and (that) you're not a citizen from another country. And we don't just rely on someone ticking a box. I understand, from speaking to the party administration, that, if you're born overseas, you have to record that fact and tell the party. If you've got a parent who's born overseas, then you have to show what steps you've taken."

Doh  ;D

As I said springs and sprockets erupting from the rightards heads , someone , anything , if there is a god they beg

Suckers  ;D

Aussie wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 1:57pm:

Cods, let's get one fact straight.  Abbott has not produced ONE document of his about renouncing. At the time he was PM......this is what happened.  His Office (probably Credlin) contacts the British High Commission in Canberra and says....."Please give us a letter confirming the PM renounced his UK citizenship." And the High Commission contacts the British Home Office which produces that letter, which is what Abbott has released. He has refused to release, or allow the release of the document which has his signature on it, in which he renounces. I reckon that will be because his Mother did it, and likely signed for him.

bullshite its on the web..... he told them in the 90s.. but didnt get the confirmation until 2015..after all the bitching from the left...who wanted to see it in black and white....

or are you telling us the Brits are lying about which date he told them he no longer was a Brit cit?..

you cant have it both ways.. as much as you WISH you could all he has to do is produce the confirmation he claims he got...at the time..its not hard.\


if you read the facts.. you will find his mother didnt have to do anything it was automatic...same with Joyce...abbott was born in britain.. gawd where have you been. >:( >:(


your getting your greeks and italians confused with the Brits... ;D ;D ;D ;D

egg on your faces lefties...this is going to hurt... :P :P :P

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

high 5 righties...

...

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is not sympathetic, telling Channel 9 the Greens have simply been sloppy.
"It is pretty amazing, isn't it, that you've had two out of nine Greens senators who didn't realise that they were citizens of another country. And it shows incredible sloppiness on their part. You know, when you nominate for parliament, there is actually a question. You've got to address that Section 44 question, you've got to tick the box and confirm that you're not a citizen of another country. So, it is ... it's extraordinary negligence on their part."
Under Section 44 of the constitution, dual citizens are not eligible to be elected to parliament.
The same rule does not apply in countries like Britain and Canada.
British foreign secretary Boris Johnson renounced his United States citizenship last year, but only because he had to pay taxes there despite leaving as a five-year-old.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says his party does a proper vetting of each of its candidates before they can run for their seat.
"When you're a Labor candidate, you're required to confirm your citizenship and (that) you're not a citizen from another country. And we don't just rely on someone ticking a box. I understand, from speaking to the party administration, that, if you're born overseas, you have to record that fact and tell the party. If you've got a parent who's born overseas, then you have to show what steps you've taken."

Cods and her mate Ju Liar have very bad diarrhoea over this.

Splurt!!!!

Oops there it goes again!

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

.
[img][img]

---

Vic wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 3:32pm:

. [img][img]

;D ;D ;D

.

---

Squirm is something Shorty can really do.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 10:16am:

Come on, Billy. You can't attack one side of politics and then refuse to produce proof of your own citizenship. Doesn't work that way in the real world, dumbass. It's different than what you're used to in the Unions. Was fun to watch BS squirming very uncomfortably, though!

Why not Tony did exactly that for 17 years and you didn't care ?

cods wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:12am:

Vic wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 10:58am: Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 10:47am: Vic wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 10:42am: Yes, i thought Shorten held his ground quite well.  Perhaps if the Coalition MPs and Senators who actually HAVE their citizenship in doubt actually had the moral fortitude to step aside until it was resolved, then you would have a point AP. Until BS and his 7 other ALP MPs produce proof of their citizenship, they ACTUALLY have their citizenship in doubt. Then let the Coalition, as the governing party ,show the leadership they purport to have and stand their MPs and Senators aside and require Labor to do the same. I cant remember how many.. but there were heaps of threads on Tony Abbotts claim he cancelled his british citiz.. there might have been hundreds......and then he received the paperwork in 2015.....confirming what he had claimed.. and then they shut up... :) :) I wonder which side was making all that noise about a dual citizenship then... ::) ::) ::)

Abbott released the paperwork in 2017, He got it in 2015 after visiting England as PM. You can not help but wonder how for all those years they couldn't find it and then after a visit by the PM there is was, nicely backdated and all ???

Armchair_Politician wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 12:06pm:

Its time wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 11:41am: philperth2010 wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 11:30am: Why doesn't Bill Shorten just prove his eligibility and be done with it??? :-? :-? :-? No need , labor vette their candidates Why should anyone believe Bill the rapist?

You believed Tony the thug ?

Quote:

pressed Mr Shorten on the issue, but the politician refused to be drawn on whether or not the documents even existed.

what is Bull Shitten hiding?

and why can't they fit a suit on that slob properly?  :-/

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 8:10pm:

Quote: pressed Mr Shorten on the issue, but the politician refused to be drawn on whether or not the documents even existed. what is Bull Shitten hiding? and why can't they fit a suit on that slob properly?  :-/

He is all about saving the taxpayers money , unlike Mal who burns donates his suit to those less fortunate... In the liberal party

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 8:10pm:

Quote: pressed Mr Shorten on the issue, but the politician refused to be drawn on whether or not the documents even existed. what is Bull Shitten hiding? and why can't they fit a suit on that slob properly?  :-/

Hey, that's not fair. It's easy for you guys with short legs and long arms to find a suit that fits!