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Bernardi slams cabinet leaker

AAP

AAP

Ultra-conservative Senator Cory Bernardi has taken a wild swing at one of his cabinet colleagues over damaging leaks that have exposed a government plan to snatch citizenship from dual nationals accused of terrorism.

While he didn’t finger the culprit of the leaks, Mr Bernardi labelled them “a disgrace”.

The cabinet leaks detailed a proposal to strip terror suspects of Australian citizenship if they are dual nationals or can apply for citizenship elsewhere.

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AAP

Who squealed? The Federal Government’s cabinet leaked sensitive policy. Source: AAP

The leaks were incredibly detailed, including quotes attributed to top-ranking ministers who were against the plan.

“One can hardly blame any journalist for breaking such a story but the conduct of at least one cabinet member in leaking the sensitive discussion is nothing short of a disgrace,” Mr Bernardi said.

“The people sitting around the cabinet table are entrusted with one of the most privileged positions in the land.

“They subscribe to an oath of office and a series of rules, laws and conventions that are vital to our Westminster system of government.

“It is clear that such a commitment means nothing to at least one of them.

“Unfortunately, the ‘leaker’ has also cast a shadow over others in cabinet in an attempt to mask their own disloyalty in seeking to damage the government.

“Of course, cabinet leaks happen to all governments. They are a gift to the opposition and do nothing to enhance the public perception of politics and politicians,” he said.

Mr Bernardi, was forced to give up his job as shadow parliamentary secretary to Tony Abbott, who was the opposition leader at the time in 2012, after he said allowing gay marriage would lead to bestiality.

The Senator successfully won a senate inquiry into halal certification and in 2013 drew fire for his support of a visiting holocaust denier Geert Wilders, who was banned from speaking in Australia.

Surprisingly, Mr Bernardi slammed part of the leaked proposal earlier in June when he said taking citizenship from Australians was “the sort of power creep that I think is very dangerous from any Government”.

In an opinion piece published in Fairfax Media, former immigration minister Amanda Vanstone labelled the citizenship plan “lazy, sneaky or both”.

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