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Reuters
Reuters
Business

Australian leadership challenger cleared of breaching constitution - media

FILE PHOTO: Australia's Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton speaks at the opening of the Counter Terrorism Conference at being held during the one-off summit of 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Sydney, Australia, March 17, 2018. Rick Rycroft/Pool via REUTERS/File photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Peter Dutton, an Australian lawmaker whose challenge set off a leadership battle against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull this week, can remain in parliament, a senior legal official looking into a potential financial conflict said on Friday.

Turnbull asked the government's most senior legal adviser on Thursday to provide guidance on whether Dutton - who has financial interests in daycare centres that receive government funding - is eligible to remain in parliament. Australia's constitution bans lawmakers from benefiting from state funds.

Australia's solicitor-general concluded Dutton is "not incapable' of sitting as a member of the House of Representatives", the lower house of parliament, the ruling seen by Reuters said.

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Paul Tait)

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