3432 ACC Report f/a 1 - Australian Citizenship
3432 ACC Report f/a 1 - Australian Citizenship
3432 ACC Report f/a 1 - Australian Citizenship
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from the base of having <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Citizenship</strong><br />
and acquire another <strong>Citizenship</strong> lose their<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Citizenship</strong>.<br />
At issue is not whether Australia should allow<br />
plural <strong>Citizenship</strong> but whether an <strong>Australian</strong><br />
Citizen who applies for and receives the<br />
<strong>Citizenship</strong> of another country should lose<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Citizenship</strong>, as is currently the case<br />
under section 17 of the Act.<br />
The Council specifically raised this issue for<br />
comment in its Issues Paper.<br />
Nearly three-quarters of the submissions to<br />
the Council addressed this issue of loss of<br />
<strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Citizenship</strong> upon acquisition of<br />
another. Only a small proportion of these<br />
submissions argued in favour of such loss.<br />
Overwhelmingly, the submissions called for<br />
the repeal of section 17.<br />
Those in favour of such loss believe the<br />
acquisition of another <strong>Citizenship</strong> represents<br />
disloyalty to Australia. They argue that seeking<br />
and acquiring the <strong>Citizenship</strong> of another<br />
country indicates a deliberate choice to place<br />
allegiance to another country over and above<br />
their commitment to Australia. They argue that<br />
to allow people who take up a foreign<br />
<strong>Citizenship</strong> to retain their <strong>Australian</strong><br />
<strong>Citizenship</strong> is essentially to depreciate the<br />
value of <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Citizenship</strong>.<br />
Many of the submissions in favour of repeal of<br />
section 17 came from <strong>Australian</strong>s living and<br />
working overseas, including a former Nobel<br />
Prize winner and <strong>Australian</strong> of the Year.<br />
Many of these people are <strong>Australian</strong>s who<br />
have gone abroad and helped to advance<br />
the reputation of Australia. Many wrote<br />
about their own personal circumstances where,<br />
by working and living overseas for some<br />
period of time, they have the opportunity to<br />
acquire the <strong>Citizenship</strong> of their country of<br />
residence, without which their prospects are<br />
severely prejudiced.<br />
These people argued that seeking the<br />
<strong>Citizenship</strong> of another country in no way<br />
diminishes their commitment to Australia.<br />
Many quite literally call Australia home, return<br />
to Australia regularly and wish to return to<br />
Australia permanently in the future. Others,<br />
whose job prospects have required them to go<br />
overseas, are keen that their children do not<br />
lose their <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Citizenship</strong> and heritage<br />
because of their own need to take up an<br />
overseas work opportunity which requires<br />
acquisition of another <strong>Citizenship</strong>.<br />
In addition, were it not for the existence of<br />
section 17, following recent changes in many<br />
countries, for example the collapse of the<br />
former Soviet Bloc in Eastern Europe, as well<br />
as liberalisation of laws in some Western<br />
countries, such as Italy, many <strong>Australian</strong><br />
Citizens who were former migrants would<br />
have the opportunity to access the <strong>Citizenship</strong><br />
of their birth. Many former migrants have a<br />
deep-felt longing to reacquire the <strong>Citizenship</strong> of<br />
their birth, often for nostalgic reasons but also<br />
as a result of more practical considerations,<br />
including the existence of property rights.<br />
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