Stripping of citizenship on the nose

intoplace in l949,itispossibletostrip a dualcitizenof Australian citizenship when thedual citizenservesin the armedforcesof acountry at warwith Australia.

BYPAWAN LUTHRA

Theproposed changes ro Australia'scitizenship policy are in the wrong, wid1. d1e fact thatthe poweris vested inaministertoexilesomeone,hence bypassingtheWestminstersysremof law where thecourts decide basedon evidence.This could seriously become an embarrassment forthegovernment shouldtheproposedchangesbepassed intolaw intheir current form.

Thegovernment hasproposed stripping foreignfightersof theirdual citizenship andtobeinline withsome of our allies incoumriessuchastheUS, UK, France, Canada and New Zealand. According toinformationto date,the Minister forImmigrationa.ndBorder Protectionwillholdthepowerrostrip them of their nationality andplace theminto permanemexile.However, forthoseAustralianswhodonothave dualpassportsandonly holdAustralian citizenship,d1ereisaconsultation processhappeningtoseeif they can be strippedof d1eirAustraliancitizenship, effectively renderingthemstareless.

According rocurrentlaw, whichcame

Themainissueismatof solepower lyingwiththel\fuiisterin medual citizenship debate. Constitutionalexperts havewarnedthar,if challenged,the minister'sdecisionmaynotstandasthe AustralianConstitutiondoesnotallow thispowertorestwirhthel'vlinister; rather,theruleof lawwillneedtobe applied.AccordingtoAustralian law,a judgeistheonlypersonwhocanhold judicial power.An individualvested withthispowercan setverydangerous precedents.W'hilethismayopenfurther discussionaboutdivulgingnational securityissuesinanopen courtroom ordelayinprocess,it doesensurethe process isfairlyand correcdycarriedout

Stripping aforeign fighterwho does nothavedualcitizenship will render the person stateless, which will beincontravention of theUniversal Declaration of HumanRights,partof whichstatesthat"everyonehasaright to nationality''.This willbe achallenge whichAustralia willneed roface.We have a collectiveresponsibility for allin our society, both good andbad; wejust cannot washour hands off the bad ones.

In theUK, since denationalisation wasramped upafterthe2005London bombing,27peoplehavelosttheir citizenship.Some of these wereoverseas and so could not returntotheUKro challengethisdecision.While in d1eUK thedecisionlies\\,jchd1egovernment, inCanadarevocationof citizenship lies withaHighCourt judgeandhasro follow a judicialprocess.The United States constitutionstrongly protects UScitizenship andif any changeisto be made,inall probabilityit will have togo throughajudicial processalso. NewZealandhasnolawsinplaceto stripitscitizensof theirnationalitydualorotherwise-butsomepassport restrictions do apply.

Indiadoes notallow dual citizenship, androdatehas notmovedtostrip itscitizens of theirIndian citizenship shouldthey be involvedin foreign fighting.,Vhile thereisintense pressure fromNon-ResidentIndians toopen the bookondualcitizenship,neitherthe BJPorCongresspartiesinpowerhave conceded cothis,other thanallowing more Aexibilitywiththe'Overseas Citizenof India' option.Asterrorism continuestobeanongoinginternational challenge,onedoubtsthattheIndian government willnow concedecothe dualcitizenship demands.

Ford1oseof us inAustralia, weneed to ensurethereis ongoingpreservation of ourkeyvaluesinAustralia-arobust legal system,equalityof allindividuals, andourcollectiveresponsibility asa society.