Leftists like the Greens are constantly trying to do everything they can to dilute tradition, undermine our institutions and ultimately rewrite the Australian constitution through relentlessly flogging a dead horse republic. Well today, the constitution once again won.

Honestly, how on earth do you forget you were born in another country?

We all, from time to time, are unable to recall details. For example, what we had for breakfast. But forgetting your country of birth seems a stretch. But not for two Australian Greens in less than a week including Larissa Waters, a former lawyer, and now former senator. You couldn’t script better humour.

One of the best things about our constitution is its clarity.

Admittedly, this clarity hasn’t stopped activist judges from finding so-called “implied” terms that simply don’t exist (but that’s for another time).

By and large, it’s unequivocal and this is especially the case when it comes to four clear circumstances that preclude an individual from running for or sitting in the Commonwealth parliament.

Section 44, specifically sub-section (i), sets out one circumstance in which an individual is incapable of being chosen as a member or senator if they are:

Under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power.

In other words, you must be an Australian citizen and you must not hold citizenship of another country. Very clear.

Waters, a law graduate who practiced as a lawyer for a number of years, should know this. At law school, this is Public Law 101, taught on day one. But how she didn’t realise, nor did Greens organisation, is alarming to say the least. What happened to basic due diligence?

Attorney-General George Brandis is right to say he feels zero sympathy for these former Senators. They should be made to pay back every cent they earned, illegitimately, from the taxpayer.

I mean, the Greens are all for justice and fairness, right?

Illustration: National Library of Australia.

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