Nats candidates anxious wait on US citizenship

By SAMANTHA TURNBULL and PETER CATON

NATIONAL Party candidate for Richmond Sue Page may be ineligible for Parliament if she is still a US citizen.

Dr Page yesterday said she was confident she had given up her US citizenship, but was waiting for confirmation from the US Ambassador.

"I know I'm an Australian citizen, but I need that piece of paper to prove it," she said.

"I've got no idea when I'll hear back from the ambassador."

Questions were first raised over Dr Page's citizenship by NSW Upper House Labor MP Amanda Fazio.

However, Dr Page said Ms Fazio was wasting State taxpayer-funded time on 'mud slinging'.

"They're trying their best to find any dirt they can on me, but there is no dirt," she said.

"My job has nothing to do with hers and her role has nothing to do with mine."

Dr Page was born in the US while her mother was working in the Australian diplomatic corps in the 1960s.

Her late father was American.

At the time, children automatically took their father's citizenship status.

Dr Page has lived in Australia since she was five years old and became an Australian citizen in 1995.

She believes she gave up her US citizenship when she became an Australian citizen.

In 1999, the High Court ruled a One Nation candidate elected to the Senate, Heather Hill, could not take her seat because she was a dual British-Australian citizen at the time of her nomination.

Ms Fazio claims the Liberal Party is setting itself up to take hold of the seat of Richmond should Dr Page defeat the sitting Labor MP Justine Elliot.

Last week it was revealed the Liberals were seeking a local candidate for the Federal election due later this year.

Ms Fazio said there was speculation Dr Page, 'an American citizen', would be unable to take her seat in Parliament and the Liberals 'will be able to take her seat in the event that she wins'.