Strippingof citizenship on the nose

intoplacein l949,itispossiblecostrip a dual citizenof Australiancitizenship when thedual citizen servesin the armed forces of a country at warwid1 Australia.

citizenship.Someof these wereoverseas andso couldnotreturntotheUKto challenge this decision. While inthe lJK rl1e decisionlies with megovernment, inCanadarevocarionof citizenship

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GuNntlandMutlcfatlwi�BrisbaneCityCouncil ondlheArtsCentteGoldCoostp,esent

BYPAWAN LUTHRA

The proposedchanges to Australia's citizenship policy arein the wrong, with the fact that thepower isvested inaminister toexilesomeone,hence bypassing the\Xlestminsrersystem of law where thecourtsdecidebasedon evidence.This couldseriously become anembarrassmentfor cbegovernment shouldthe proposedchanges bepassed intolawin d1eircurrentform.

Thegovernmenthasproposed strippingforeign fightersof their dual citizenshipandto beinlinewithsome of ouralliesincountries such astheUS, UK,France,Canada andNewZealand.

Accordingtoinformationto dare,the 1-finister forImmigrationandBorder Protectionwill holdthepowerto strip themof d1eirnationalityandplace themintopermanentexile. However, forchoseAustralianswhodo nothave dualpassportsandonly holdAustralian citizenship,thereisa consultation processhappening toseeif theycanbe strippedof d1eirAustraliancirizenship, effectively renderingthemstateless.

Accordingto currentlaw,which came ln theUK,sincedenationalisation wasrampedup after d1e2005London bombing,27people havelosttheir

Themainissueisthatof solepower lyingwid1d1eMinisterinthedual cirizenshipdebate.Constinttionalexperts have warnedchar,if challenged,d1e rninister'sdecisionmay notstand ascbe AustralianConsriruriondoesnotallow thispowertorestwiththeMinister; rather,d1eruleof lawwill needrobe applied.According roAL1srralian law,a judgeis theonlyperson whocanhold judicialpower.Anindividualvestcrl wid1 mispowercan setverydangerous precedents.Whilethjsmayopenfurther discussionaboutdivulgingnational securityissuesinanopen counroom ordelay inprocess,itdoes ensurethe processisfairlyandcorrecdycarriedout.

Strippingaforeignlighter who does nothave dual citizenshipwill renderthepersonstateless,whichwill beincontravention of meUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, part of which states mar"everyonehas aright tonationality".This willbe achallenge whichAustralia will needroface. \Xie haveacollectiveresponsibilityforallin oursociety,bothgoodandbad;wejust cannorwash ourhandsoff d1ebad ones.

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Tialatprll:lti""""'-GSrandlloaklngFN.Tiansai:ticlft,_ffl4'/apply. Proudlytuppon.lbrNcmtraiCulturalC...unndthe lndlonOouncHfwCultUNIIltalatiOIII.

Ii.es with a HighCourt judge and has to follow ajudicial process.TheUnited Statesconstimtion stronglyprotects UScirizensh.ip and if anychangeisto bemade,inallprobability itwillhave togothrough ajudicialprocessalso. NewZealandhasnolawsinplaceto stripits citizensof their narionalitydual orotherwise-butsomepassport restrictionsdoapply.

Indiadoes notallowdual citizenship, and todate hasnormoved to strip itscitizens of theirIndian cirizenship shouldthey beiJwolved in foreign fighting.While thereisintensepressure from Non-ResidentIndians to open the bookon dual cirizenship,nether the BJPorCongresspartiesinpowerhave concededcochis,otherthanallowing moreAex.ibilitywithd1e'Overseas

Cirizen of India' oprion.As terrorism continues to beanongoinginternarional challenge,one doubts d1attheIndian governmentwiUnow concedeto the dualcitizenship demands.

Forthoseof us inAustralia,we need toensure thereisongoingpreservation of ourkey valuesinAustralia- arobust legal system,equaliryof allindividuals, andourcollectiveresponsibilityasa society.