It’s been clear since October three Labor MPs were ineligible, PM says
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says it was clear in October last year that three Labor MPs were ineligible to sit in parliament over the dual citizenship saga.
This comes after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s “rolled gold” guarantee that no more Labor MPs would get caught up in the chaos.
The MPs have since announced they’ll quit but are yet to officially resign.
“Well it’s like any of his guarantees, it’s not worth a cracker. You can’t trust Bill Shorten,” the PM tells Ben Fordham.
“You can’t trust him to be straightforward with the Australian people on matters of citizenship and you certainly can’t trust him with your money.
“These people have been sitting in the parliament for months and months and they still haven’t resigned.
“The three Labor members that are actually still sitting in the house, still presumably drawing a salary, still presumably enjoying the entitlements that come with being a member of parliament.
“To be honest with you Ben, I was very surprised when I learnt during questioning that they had not in fact resigned.”
On budget figures for immigration, the Prime Minister says the 190,000 intake “is not a target”.
“The 190,000 figure is not a target, it’s a ceiling, it’s a cap. We can’t go beyond that.
“We do not take into Australia, as an immigrant, anybody that we do not want or need.”
Listen to the full interview below