CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
After spending months in the centre of the 2017 Australian parliamentary eligibility crisis with doubts over his citizenship, Senator Malcolm Roberts has today resigned from the Senate to join the star-studded Tongan squad for the upcoming rugby league World Cup.
Roberts, who was born in India under British rule to a Welsh father, has been under siege for not clarifying his dual citizenship issues before his election as a Senator early last year, and did not renounce his British citizenship until December 2016.
Today it has been revealed that the prominent Climate Change denier also has significant Tongan ancestry through his mother, Alefosio.
He will join his fellow Australian-based Tongan brothers Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo, who also announced a list minute switch this week.
“He wasn’t ever a chance in the Kangaroos side, but I am quite surprised at his multicultural background” said Australian rugby league coach, Mal Meninga.
“Especially seeing how racist One Nation is”
It appears that Parliament House isn’t the only overpaid institution in Australian that struggles with confirmation of citizenship, with the Australian rugby league currently under attack with player making last minutes decisions to play for their parent’s home countries.
Former Rugby League bad boy and fellow Tongan international says he wasn’t aware that Malcolm Roberts was eligible, but he’d love to see him have a trot out there with his son and nephews.
“He’s a wirey bugger, but I reckon he could really add value to a budding second-tier national side like Tonga”
Taumalolo, Fifita, Hopoate and Roberts were just four big names in Kristian Woolf’s 24-man squad, which also includes Konrad Hurrell, Manu Ma’u, Daniel Tupou, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Manu Vatuvei and Tevita Pangai Jr.
The squad will go into camp next week in Tonga before they open their World Cup campaign on October 29 against Scotland.
SQUAD: Andrew Fifita, Mahe Fonua, David Fusitu’a, Siliva Havilli, Ata Hingano, Will Hopoate, Konrad Hurrell, Michael Jennings, Solomone Kata, Sione Katoa, Samisoni Langi, Malcolm Roberts, Sika Manu, Manu Ma’u, Sam Moa, Ben Murdoch Masila, Joe Ofahengaue, Tevita Pangai Jr, Ukuma Ta’ai, Sio Siua Taukieaho, Jason Taumalolo, Peni Terepo, Daniel Tupou, Manu Vatuvei.
