Australian senator resigns after breastfeeding in parliament

An Australian senator who made headlines around the world for breastfeeding in parliament has resigned after being discovered to have dual citizenship.

Greens member Larissa Waters was born in Canada. Under the Australian Constitution, people cannot run for parliament if they have dual citizenship.

Last weekend, another Greens senator, Scott Ludlam, resigned over his dual citizenship. Both politicians were vice-presidents of the party.

MP Larissa Waters and her daughter Alia Joy in the Australian Senate in May. Photo: Reuters.

Last May, Australian Senator Waters made headlines around the world when she became the first politician to breastfeed during a session of the Australian parliament.

Ms Waters said she only discovered her dual citizenship after Mr Ludlam, who recently learned he also held New Zealand citizenship.

On the verge of tears at a press conference today, Ms Waters said her error was an “honest error”.

“I was devastated to learn that because of a 70-year-old Canadian law that I was a dual citizen at birth, and that Canadian law changed a week after I was born, meaning I had to voluntarily renounce my Canadian citizenship,” she said.

The 40-year-old MP was just 11 months old when she left Canada with her Australian parents. “All of this happened before I could even say a word,” she said. But Ms Waters said she took “full responsibility.” She was elected to the Australian parliament in 2011.

It is not yet clear whether she and Mr Ludllam will have to repay the salaries and benefits they received.

“It's definitely something that could happen and I'll deal with it when it comes,” said Waters.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said he was stunned by Ms Waters’ resignation, saying she had made a “huge contribution” to Australia.

Mr Natale said measures would be taken to ensure this mistake would not be repeated.

Under the Australian constitution, politicians must renounce their overseas citizenship before running for office.

According to Kienthuc.net.vn