Conservative senator Cory Bernardi​ has called for Parliament to be suspended until the constitutional crisis engulfing a growing number of MPs can be resolved.
The High Court will determine whether a slew of MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, were eligible to be elected after revelations they may have held dual citizenship.
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The only way to restore confidence in Australian politics is to end this session of Parliament until the High Court resolves the citizenship issue, according to independent senator Cory Bernardi.
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Only one way forward: Bernardi
The only way to restore confidence in Australian politics is to end this session of Parliament until the High Court resolves the citizenship issue, according to independent senator Cory Bernardi.
Both major parties have threatened to refer other MPs to the court.
Senator Bernardi, who has led the Australian Conservatives after breaking away from the Liberal Party, warned the crisis had caused people to lose faith in Federal Parliament.
"I believe there is only one way forward for this Parliament and that is for the Prime Minister to prorogue the Parliament, [and] effectively end this session pending the outcome of the High Court, pending any byelections that may be necessary," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan was the latest to face scrutiny over his citizenship. He took to social media on Thursday morning to say he renounced his British citizenship in 2004 before entering parliament.
Liberal frontbencher Matt Canavan resigned from cabinet last month after it was revealed he had Italian citizenship.
Greens deputy leaders Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam both resigned from Parliament after discovering they were dual nationals, while One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts will face the High Court over questions about his possible British citizenship.
Mr Joyce renounced his New Zealand citizenship only days ago, and will also face judgment from the High Court.
The Coalition has been contemplating referring four additional Labor MPs to the High Court, while Labor claims to have a hit-list of eight Coalition MPs with questions to answer.
Crossbench senators have been calling for an independent audit of MPs to find those who are dual citizens, a move Labor and the Coalition have rebuffed.
"I think both sides of politics know people on their own side who [are] going to be caught up in it," Greens leader Richard Di Natale​ told Sky News last month.
"What we need is a thorough and independent audit of the status of every member of Parliament because there is question marks hovering over people."
Senator Derryn Hinch​ tweeted his support for an independent audit on Thursday.
Government or ALP could get dual citizenship out of headlines if they agreed with Senate cross-bench and voted for independent auditor.
— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) August 16, 2017
It is a sentiment backed by South Australian senator Nick Xenophon.
​"This is taking a lot of oxygen from the business of governing, and the business of MPs doing their job, and the sooner we have an audit, the sooner that there's a proper process, the better off we'll all be."
Section 44 of the constitution prevents people with dual citizenship from becoming members of Parliament.
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