Three ministers currently face questions about whether they were validly elected: Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan and Fiona Nash. Twomey said it would be better if decision making was made by acting ministers until such time as their cases are resolved. “These ministers are bearing a risk that the court might put ministerial decisions in a different category to parliamentary votes”. “Under the circumstances outlined above and due to the indisputable legal and constitutional uncertainty surrounding the issue, it is not tenable for minister Nash to continue in her role,” Jones said. As well as the ministers going to the high court to determine their eligibility, Labor is also pursuing a separate high court case against the Nationals MP David Gillespie over a section 44 issue.

Source: The Guardian August 18, 2017 08:47 UTC