One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts denies he lied when declaring less than a year ago he had "never held any citizenship other than Australian", despite now saying he has renounced any ties to other countries.
Senator Roberts' office claims there is no contradiction because the senator "is choosing to believe that he was never British" - even after the British government confirmed he was once a citizen.
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Malcolm Roberts possible member of two nations
The One Nation senator's position in Parliament is under a cloud after revelations about his British citizenship.
The Queensland senator is under intense pressure to release documents clarifying his status, amid a Parliament-wide fiasco that has so far seen three senators fall foul of section 44 of the constitution, which prohibits dual-citizens from standing as MPs.Â
Senator Roberts was born in India to a Welsh father, which potentially made him both a British and Indian citizen at birth.
Documents published by Buzzfeed News and The Australian have shown Senator Roberts travelled on a British passport as a one-year-old and appeared on the Register Office's register of British nationals born overseas. Senator Roberts has repeatedly claimed he is in the clear and has the papers to prove it, but has resisted all attempts to release documentation.
A spokesman told Fairfax Media on Wednesday night that Senator Roberts renounced "any" dual citizenship on June 6, 2016 - three days before the close of nominations for the Senate.Â
But that claim stands in stark contrast to previous public assertions he has only ever been an Australian citizen.
In October last year, Senator Roberts' spokesman Sean Black was quoted by Guardian Australia as saying: "Senator Roberts has never held any other citizenship other than his Australian citizenship".
Mr Black alleged he was misquoted and "The Guardian, as always, is most likely wrong. They always publish nonsense and I have told them as much today."
Fairfax Media has since unearthed a tweet from October 26 last year - four months after the date he now says he renounced his citizenship -Â in which Senator Roberts said he has never had foreign citizenship: "I have never held any citizenship other than Australian. When I travelled to UK & India I require a visa," he tweeted.
Mr Black accused Fairfax Media of running a left-wing agenda against One Nation and said Senator Roberts did not lie.
"He is choosing to believe that he was never British. He is preferring to believe that he was never British because he has no allegiance or exercised any citizenship arrangement. However they have renounced and released him of anything to do with them," he said.
"... There is nothing wrong or incongruent with Malcolm Roberts putting his hand up and saying as far as I'm concerned I'm not British, never was - the British government may have a different view."
Mr Black claimed on Wednesday "any renunciation" occurred on June 6, 2016, before the close of nominations for the federal election. Mr Black repeatedly refused requests to further clarify what was meant by "any renunciation".
Senator Roberts released a statement on July 18 claiming he had "fully investigated" his eligibility status and had contacted the Indian authorities in 2014 confirming he was not an Indian citizen, but made no mention of UK citizenship.
He later released a statutory declaration referring to his statement, adding that he had "analysed" whether he was a British or Indian citizen.
"I can confirm I am not a citizen of the United Kingdom, nor am I a citizen of India. I am a citizen of Australia only," he said in the declaration, but continued to refuse to release the documents he said proved it.
On Wednesday night, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and her chief advisor James Ashby claimed to have sighted the documents, and Senator Hanson labelled concerns over Senator Roberts' eligibility "a media witch hunt"
"I can hand on heart assure everyone that Malcolm is not a dual citizen," Senator Hanson posted on Facebook, in response to questions from Fairfax Media.
"I saw first hand his renouncement of UK citizenship before he became a candidate for the Senate."
Mr Ashby initially said Senator Roberts had renounced his foreign citizenship "well before" he nominated. He now says the candidate nomination process prompted him to renounce, however he could not be specific on dates. "My memory isn't that great," he said.
Mr Ashby was seen talking to James Lambie, chief of staff to Attorney-General George Brandis, at Commonwealth offices in Brisbane on Wednesday. However, both sides said they did not discuss Senator Roberts' eligibility.
If Senator Roberts' election was ruled invalid his seat would likely go to the third person on One Nation's Queensland ticket, Fraser Anning.
TIMELINE
May 3, 1955: Malcolm Roberts is born to an Australian mother and Welsh father in Disergarh, India. Laws suggest he was given Indian citizenship by birth and was also eligible for British citizenship.
July 2, 2016: Malcolm Roberts elected to the Senate.
October 8, 2016: He responds to a tweet saying: "I don't have, and never have had, Indian citizenship. You are, however, correct in saying I was born in India."
October 26, 2016: Senator Roberts' office is asked about his citizenship status. A spokesman says: "Senator Roberts has never held any other citizenship other than his Australian citizenship. He's had to obtain visas when he's travelled to the United Kingdom and to India, and people who are citizens do not have to get visas." His office now claims this is a misquote.
October 26, 2016: Senator Roberts said the same thing himself on Twitter on the same day: "I have never held any citizenship other than Australian. When I travelled to UK & India I require a visa".
July 18: Fresh questions are raised about Senator Roberts' eligibility after the resignation of two Greens over their dual citizenship. He posts a statement to social media: "Prior to agreeing to run as a candidate for Pauline Hanson's One Nation I fully investigated whether I was eligible to hold the position of senator in the Australian Senate. In 2014, I contacted the Indian authorities and that confirmed that I am not an Indian citizen. I am a citizen only of Australia and therefore eligible to hold the position as senator in the Australian parliament." He makes no mention of UK citizenship.
July 18: Pauline Hanson's adviser James Ashby says Senator Roberts is "definitely not" a dual citizen. "That was established well before he put his nomination in. We learnt from the Heather Hill case, so weren't going to fall for that a second time."
July 20:Â In response to question from Fairfax Media, Mr Ashby calls on Labor senator Sam Dastyari to provide evidence he has renounced his Iranian citizenship. This call is later backed by One Nation senator Brian Burston.
July 21: The Australian reports that Senator Roberts appears on the General Register Office's Register of British Nationals Born Overseas 1818-2005, confirming he also had British citizenship.
July 21: In response, Senator Roberts signs a statutory declaration saying that prior to agreeing to nominate as a candidate for the Senate he investigated his eligibility under the constitution. He says he "analysed" whether he was a British or Indian citizen. "I can confirm I am not a citizen of The United Kingdom, nor am I a citizen of India. I am a citizen of Australia only."
July 26: Buzzfeed News publishes documents which show he travelled on a British passport as a child. He still refuses release renunciation papers citing fears they will be manipulated.
July 26: His spokesman tells Fairfax Media "any renunciation" occurred on June 6, 2016 - three days before the close of nominations for the federal election - but will not clarify which nations this refers to, or whether this was when papers were submitted or when renunciation was confirmed. He repeatedly refuses to answer further questions and says of The Guardian's earlier article: "The Guardian, as always, is most likely wrong. They always publish nonsense and I have told them as much today."
July 26:Â In response to question from Fairfax Media One Nation leader Pauline Hanson takes to Facebook to declare "hand on heart" that Senator Roberts renounced his UK citizenship before he became a candidate and claims to have seen the documents. Says she expects him to clarify his status on the floor of Parliament and accuses the media of a "witch hunt".
July 26: Mr Ashby says the candidate nomination process was what prompted Senator Roberts to renounce his UK citizenship. He says he also saw the documents but cannot be specific on the date: "My memory isn't that great."
July 27: Fairfax Media unearths a tweet from October 2016 in which Senator Roberts himself claimed he had never been a citizen of another country - despite supposedly renouncing his British citizenship four months earlier. Mr Black said there was no contradiction because Senator Roberts "is choosing to believe that he was never British".