Dual citizen senator loses seat in australian high court ruling

You're likely referring to the recent Australian High Court ruling that led to the resignation of Senator Katy Gallagher, a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom.

On February 19, 2021, the Australian High Court delivered a judgment in the case of Commissioner of Taxation v Gallagher, which ruled that Senator Katy Gallagher was ineligible to sit in the Australian Parliament due to her dual citizenship. The court found that Gallagher's British citizenship, acquired through her father, made her ineligible to hold office under Section 44(i) of the Australian Constitution.

As a result of the ruling, Gallagher was forced to resign from the Senate, effective immediately. Her resignation was accepted by the Senate on February 22, 2021.

Gallagher had been a member of the Australian Labor Party and had served as a senator for the Australian Capital Territory since 2013. Her resignation was a significant blow to the Labor Party, which had been struggling to maintain its numbers in the Senate.

The case highlights the ongoing issue of dual citizenship and its implications for Australian politicians. The Australian Constitution requires that members of Parliament be eligible to sit, and dual citizenship can be seen as a conflict of interest. The High Court's ruling has led to increased scrutiny of politicians' citizenship status, and some have called for reforms to the system to prevent similar situations in the future.