Aussie Change

From the BBC:
"How will Australia's citizenship changes work?"

The Australian government wants to strip Australian citizenship from dual nationals who engage in terrorism.  On Wednesday, it introduced amendments to the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to parliament that would prevent dual nationals involved in terrorist acts overseas from returning to Australia, and deport dual nationals who engage in terrorism in Australia. The amendments will come before a vote in parliament  Under the current act, people are automatically stripped of their Australian citizenship if they are a national or citizen of a foreign country and they serve in the armed forces of a country at war with Australia.  According to the government, there are about 120 Australians fighting with Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East, and about half of them hold dual citizenship.  It says another 160 Australians are supporting IS through financing and recruiting terrorism, and it has cancelled 120 Australian passports to stop people travelling to conflicts in the Middle East.  The changes expand the operation of section 35 of the Australian Citizenship Act to automatically strip dual nationals of their Australian citizenship if they "engage in various kinds of conduct inconsistent with allegiance to Australia". The changes apply to dual citizens born in Australia and people from other countries who have been naturalised. The bill confirms the loss of citizenship will be "subject to judicial review".

 

What conduct is considered inconsistent with allegiance to Australia?

• Engaging in international terrorist activities using explosive or lethal devices.

• Engaging in a terrorist act; providing or receiving training connected with a terrorist act.

• Recruiting for or financing a terrorist organisation.

• Going overseas to fight for foreign armies deemed enemies of Australia, or for listed terrorist organisations.

• Being convicted of terrorism offences by an Australian court.

 

^ I can understand a country stripping a person who became a citizen through naturalization, but not someone who is considered a native-born citizen (no matter for awful crimes like murder and terrorism.) I am a dual-citizen myself and am considered a native-born Canadian in Canada and a native-born American in the US. No matter how horrible the crime a person commits their nationality should not be able to be taken away - unless, of course they are naturalized. If a person takes a test to become a citizen of another country and then commits a crime then the naturalized country should be able ton strip them of their citizenship and deport them back to their homeland (or keep them in prison.) ^

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-33250790