Kiwi Labour MP Chris Hipkins outed as citizenship row instigator

"I had no intention of getting involved in Australian domestic politics," says Labour MP Chris Hipkins. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Labour MP Chris Hipkins says he didn't know his question to officials about citizenship was in any way linked to questions about Australia's Barnaby Joyce's eligibility for parliament there.

But had he known he might have given it a second thought.

Deputy Prime Minister Joyce's position in Australia's federal parliament is under scrutiny after he revealed the New Zealand High Commission had contacted him last week with the "shocking" information that he could be a New Zealander.

Joyce's father was born in New Zealand and it has been confirmed that he is a citizen by descent. That would rule him ineligible to serve in Australia's Parliament.

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said today that Hipkins shouldn't have been prioritising questions about citizenship.

"We've had a discussion about [it] and as I said to her, had I known this was where it was going to land up I wouldn't have got involved," Hipkins said.

"I had no intention of getting involved in Australian domestic politics."

Hipkins, who has a keen interest in the rights of Kiwis living in Australia, said he asked the citizenship question out of personal interest.

A spokesman for Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne says Australian media had also lodged specific questions about Joyce at or about the same time as Hipkins' general question.

The requests had led to Joyce being informed, he said.

Joyce is the fifth Australian MP to have their citizenship questioned since last month, after senators Scott Ludlam, Larissa Waters, Matthew Canavan and Malcolm Roberts.

- NZN