Foreign Affairs minister Julie Bishop accused the Labor Party on August 15 of colluding with New Zealand to reveal that the Deputy Prime Minister held New Zealand citizenship.

The Australian Government was thrown into chaos on Monday when it was revealed the Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was a New Zealand citizen, which could disqualified him from office. Three other Australian politicians have already been forced to resign and nearly a dozen more face disqualification because of Section 44 of the Australian Constitution, which states that dual citizens cannot hold public office.

Bishop, in a speech inside the House of Representatives, accused opposition leader Bill Shorten of working with New Zealand’s Labour party to uncover Joyce’s citizenship status. The row has created a rift between the two countries, with the NZ Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern firing back that Bishop made “false claims” about their involvement.

Joyce on Monday announced that he was dual national because his father was born in Dunedin. The focus of the row shifted to Wellington on Tuesday when it emerged Labour MP Chris Hipkins had asked two detailed questions about New Zealand citizenship to the interior minister in parliament on August 9.

The Joyce revelations has been particularly damaging for the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Coalition government, not just because Joyce is the leader of the Nationals and one of the most senior figures in the party, but losing him would upset the one-seat majority the party currently holds. The High Court will rule on whether Joyce should be disqualified or could continue in office due to taking “reasonable steps” to renounce his dual national status. Credit: Australian Parliament House via Storyful