Australia Official Accuses New Zealand Party of Undermining Its Government
Mr. Dunne, the leader of New Zealand’s right-leaning United Future party who released the citizenship information, said claims
that he was provoked to investigate by the Labour Party were "utter nonsense." New Zealand is holding a general election on Sept. 23, and Ms. Bishop said her government would find it hard to work with New Zealand’s Labour Party if it won.
Ms. Bishop accused the Australian Labor Party of contacting the New Zealand Labour Party — both
left-leaning opposition parties — to suggest an investigation into Mr. Joyce’s citizenship.
Ms. Bishop specifically pointed a finger at Bill Shorten, the leader of Australia’s Labor Party, saying he used New Zealand’s Labour Party to "raise questions
in a foreign parliament deliberately designed to undermine confidence in the Australian government." Please verify you’re not a robot by clicking the box.
" she said. that I would find it very difficult to build trust with members of a political party
that had been used by the Australian Labor Party to seek to undermine the Australian government,
A New Zealand Labour Party politician also raised questions, due to be addressed later this
week, in New Zealand’s Parliament, about Australians with New Zealand citizenship.
Julie Bishop, Australia’s minister for foreign affairs and deputy leader of the right-leaning Liberal Party, made the comments a day after revelations surfaced
that Australia’s deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, was a New Zealander by descent.