Labor sought on Wednesday to refer all its doubtful MPs along with four Coalition members:Liberals Jason Falinski,Alex Hawke,Nola Marino and Julia Banks.
But the government is refusing to countenance any further referrals from its own side,and the casting vote of Speaker Tony Smith defeated the Labor motion. While questions have been raised about gaps in their documents,the government says its MPs are all in the clear.
Labor's gambit ground Parliament to a halt and forced a delay in the debate about same-sex marriage.
Labor's counterattack was also blunted when its pursuit of Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg over his possible dual citizenship began to split the party. Labor MPs Michael Danby and Ed Husic publicly criticised the decision to target him,given his parents arrived in Australia stateless after escaping the Nazis.