PM claims govt majority safe

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said yesterday he was confident his government's one-seat majority was safe, despite questions over his deputy's citizenship which could disqualify him from parliament.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said earlier that he may not be eligible for parliament after being told he may be a dual citizen of Australia and New Zealand.

The New Zealand government later said Joyce held New Zealand citizenship by descent as his father was born in New Zealand.

Australian politicians are not eligible to be elected to parliament if they hold dual or plural citizenship, a rule that has forced the resignation of two senators in recent weeks.

Turnbull's one-seat majority would be eliminated if Joyce was forced from office, likely triggering an election, political analysts said.

Joyce said he has asked Australia's High Court to decide the matter.

"The government is the very confident the court will not find that the member for New England is to be disqualified from the Parliament. Very confident," Turnbull told parliament.