FREMANTLE Labor MP Josh Wilson got dragged into Australia’s constitutional crisis this week when the Turnbull government questioned whether he was technically a dual citizen when he nominated for the 2016 federal election.

But Mr Wilson says he’s unsurprised that retired Federal Court justice Ray Finkelstein QC has given him the all clear and says prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is simply trying to deflect attention from the problem the issue’s left his party.

“Mr Turnbull and the Liberals have been spreading false rumours about me and my eligibility to represent the people of Fremantle,” Mr Wilson said.

“At all times I have been eligible and qualified to represent the Fremantle electorate.”

Mr Wilson revealed he’d nominated to run for the seat the day after the British government took the money from his bank account to process his application to renounce his British citizenship.

He reckons that clearly fulfilled the constitutional requirement to “take all steps that are reasonably required ” to divest their foreign citizenship.

Mr Wilson’s father Tony, a canny local lawyer who specialises in incorpation law, was born in England, meaning his citizenship was automatically transferred to his heirs.

by STEVE GRANT