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Update to laws to strip terrorists of citizenship
The Abbott Government’s highest priority is to keep the community safe from those who would seek to do us harm.
The Government has introduced legislation to update and strengthen the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.
The Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015 provides for the automatic loss of citizenship for dual nationals who betray their allegiance to Australia by engaging in terrorism-related conduct, who fight on behalf of terrorist groups or who are convicted of terrorism related offences.
Australia is facing a very serious threat from terrorism.
“In only nine months, 23 Australians have been arrested in counter-terrorism operations,” said the Federal Member for Deakin, Michael Sukkar.
“These laws will be an important tool to protect Australia from the growing threat.”
“The changes will be consistent with our international legal obligation not to leave a person stateless and decisions will be subject to judicial review on the facts,” Michael said.
The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection will be able to exempt a person in the public interest, such as for a law enforcement or security imperative.
The Government has asked the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) to inquire into the Bill and report back to Parliament.
The views of the PJCIS together with feedback from the public consultation process that is being led by Senator the Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and the Hon Philip Ruddock MP, will be carefully considered by the Government.
The legislation was introduced into Parliament by the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection on 24 June 2015.