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Double trouble

导读: 澳大利亚是一个移民国家， 政府机关的要职严格限定必须由本国公民担当，并且该人不能有双重国籍。 但是现在，由于审核不严，出现了一些列问题

A row over who is eligible for parliament rattles the government

一个关于谁有资格在议会任职的争吵令澳洲政府担心不已

• a row over: 一次关于...的争吵
• be eligible for: 有资格做...

WHEN two Australian Greens senators left parliament last month after learning that they were dual citizens, and thus in breach of the constitution, Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister, condemned their “incredible sloppiness”. But on August 14th Barnaby Joyce, the deputy prime minister, revealed that he, too, was a citizen of two countries: Australia and New Zea- land. His confession sparked a rare diplomatic row between the two countries. It also casts doubt on the survival of Mr Turnbull’s government, which clings to power with a majority of one.

两个澳大利亚绿党议员上个月被查出是双重国籍，因而违宪而离开了议会。 在那时， 澳洲总理， Malcolm Turnbull， 谴责了他们的"难以置信的马虎"

• dual citizen: 双重国籍
• be in breach of: 违反
• incredible sloppiness: 难以置信的马虎
• deputy prime minister: 副总理
• diplomatic row: 外交争吵
• cast doubt on: 投下阴影
• cling to power: 掌握政权

Australia’s constitution bans from the federal parliament anyone who is under “acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power”, or who is “a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power”. But in a country of high immigration, these strictures are causing unexpected political turmoil. In mid-July, Scott Ludlam of the Australian Greens resigned from the upper house, having just discovered he was a citizen of New Zealand. He left New Zealand when he was three, but never thought “citizenship sticks to you in that way”. A few days later Larissa Waters, the other deputy leader of the party, tearfully announced her resignation. She had been born in Canada and moved to Australia as a baby, but had never renounced her Canadian citizenship.

澳洲宪法禁止任何"承认， 顺从或信奉国外势力的人", 或者"属于他国臣民或公民， 或享有他国臣民或公民权利的人"加入联邦议会

• ban from doing: 禁止做某事
• adherence to: 信奉
• stricture(n.): 限制，约束
• stick to: 忠于
• tearfully(adv.): 哭泣地
• renounce(v.):宣布放弃

The circumstances of Matt Canavan, he former minister for resources, are even odder. The government was shaken when he declared on July 25th that he was both Italian and Australian. His mother, born in Australia to Italian parents, had secured Italian citizenship for herself and her son 11 years earlier. Mr Canavan says that he discovered this only when the citizenship row first erupted.

前任资源部长，Matt Canavan的处境就更加离奇了。 当他在7月25号宣布他是意大利和澳洲双重国籍时，当局震惊了

• erupt(v.): 突然发出

Mr Canavan gave up his ministerial post, but not his Senate seat. Mr Joyce, a fellow member of the National Party, the junior coalition partner, took over his portfolio. Just three weeks later, though, Mr Joyce told parliament he was “shocked” to learn that he was a Kiwi because his father had been born in New Zealand before moving to Australia in 1947.

Canavan放弃了他的部长职位，但是却保留了议员席位

• ministerial post: 部长职位
• portfolio(n.): 部长职位，大臣职位
• Kiwi(n.): 新西兰人

Mr Joyce has a habit of highlighting his rural roots by wearing cowboy hats and giving whip-cracking displays. He is famous for playing the indignant patriot in a row over quarantine laws with Johnny Depp, a Hollywood actor. The opposition is revelling in his predicament, especially as the government would lose its majority if he had to quit.

Joyce有强调他乡村背景的习惯， 通过戴牛仔帽和做甩鞭秀

• rural root: 乡村背景
• indignant patriot: 义愤的爱国者
• revel in: 陶醉于做...
• predicament(n.): 困境, 尴尬的处境

The dual-citizenship question has added fuel to Australia’s already combustible politics. And the revelation that a staff member for a Labor senator had asked a New Zealand Labour MP about his country’s citizenship rules before Mr Joyce’s confession has turned the row into an international incident. Julie Bishop, Australia’s foreign minister, accused New Zealand’s Labour opposition of being “involved in allegations designed to undermine the government of Australia”. Not so, retorted Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s opposition leader. Undaunted, Mr Turnbull charged Australia’s opposition of con- spiring “with a foreign power”.

双重国籍问题给本已纷争不断的政治事务加了一把火。并且一个爆料称一个竞选工党议员的成员在Joyce的供认之前，向新西兰劳工部长询问他们国家的公民身份政策， 这个爆料将争议转换成了国际冲突

• add fuel to: 推波助澜
• combustible politics: 不可预测的政治
• undermine(v.): 暗中破坏
• undaunted(adj.): 不屈不挠的

If this was a ploy to deflect embarrassment over Mr Joyce, it fell flat. It could damage trans-Tasman relations if Ms Ardern’s party wins the general election due next month. And it ignores mounting calls to reform parliamentary citizenship rules drawn up in the 1890s, when Australia was still a colony of British subjects. The latest census, in 2016, revealed that 26% of Australians were born overseas; more than 300 languages are now spoken.

如果这是一个将尴尬转向Joyce的花招， 明显没有达到效果

• ploy(n.): 策略，花招
  e.g. a delaying ploy 拖延手段
• fall flat: 没达到效果
• mounting(adj.): 增长的，加剧的
• drawn up: 起草，制定

On August 24th the High Court is due to start considering the case of the many dual-citizen MPs. Six have admitted doubts about their status; others have denied claims that they hold two nationalities. Mr Joyce has hurriedly renounced his New Zealand citizenship. Mr Turnbull argues he is qualified to stay in parliament “and the High Court will so hold”. A rash claim, say some constitutional experts. George Williams, of the University of New South Wales, thinks all five politicians could be “in great difficulty” if they were dual citizens when first elected. There will be growing pressure to change the constitution. But any reform may come too late to help the beleaguered Mr Turnbull.

在8月24日， 最高法院预定开始着手处理多起双重国籍的部长的案件

• be due to: 预定做某事
• a rash claim: 一项草率的声明
• constitutional expert: 宪法专家
• in great difficulty: 陷入大麻烦
• beleaguered(adj.): 处于困境的，饱受职责的