Mr Karaitiana was identified as at risk of not being being able to take up a position in the House of Representatives, along with numerous others across Australia, via an ABC survey of candidates' citizenship status.

As Mr Karaitiana's father was born in New Zealand, he could be eligible to claim New Zealand citizenship by descent.

Section 44 of the Australian Constitution deems that a person is not eligible as a candidate for federal parliament if they are "under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power".

Mr Karaitiana told The Daily Advertiser that he was eligible to run and had the same claim to New Zealand citizenship as any other Australian.

"I was born in this country and I have an Australian passport only, my mother was Australian and had an Australian passport. My father was from New Zealand and he has been dead since 2003," he said.

"All I can say is I, like anyone else in Australia, would be able to apply for residency in New Zealand, which I would never be interested in.

"I am an Australian citizen, born in this country and this is a witch-hunt by the ABC."

Mr Karaitiana conceded he had not tested his eligibility for New Zealand citizenship by descent.

"I would be like any other nationality who applied for it, you would not know until you did," he said.

In 2017, several MPs and senators were forced to resign when it was discovered that they had not renounced citizenship or eligibility for citizenship in other countries.

The Court of Disputed Returns ruled that Barnaby Joyce was ineligible to have been elected as Member for New England as he was eligible for New Zealand citizenship by descent.

Mr Joyce regained his seat at a by-election after renouncing his claim to citizenship.

The Australian Electoral Commission advises prospective candidates that it can provide general information about eligibility but they "must satisfy yourself about your legal position" under section 44.

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