Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly won't be holding my breath while this backlog of people waiting for their citizenship is cleared by this government. The figures speak for themselves. In 2013-14 there were 27,000 people waiting for their citizenship ceremonies. Today that figure is out at 221,000. Those figures don't lie. The people we are talking about have met the criteria for citizenship. They have demonstrated that, in the first instance, to become permanent residents. We have made the time lines longer under this government. That is a separate issue. What we are talking about here is the wait between when your application is processed and actually becoming a citizen. This is outrageous.

Like everybody here, I attend citizenship ceremonies. It is the highlight of my fortnight in the seat of Lalor to attend citizenship ceremonies. In my community, there are 3,000 new citizens a year. Next year, it is tipped to be 4,000 for the year. Some of this is about clearing that backlog. I've got people coming to my office to talk to me about the fact that they've been told that, even though they have met all the criteria—the processing is finished and the application has been found to be sound—they will have to wait six to eight months to get to a citizenship ceremony. And my local government couldn't be working harder. They are doing 30 ceremonies a year. In fact, I joke with our local mayor that we pay her to do citizenship ceremonies. We do three a day on a weekend. We can do three on Saturday and go back and do another two on Sunday—120 people at a ceremony. There is no doubt that local government is pulling its weight—with minimal support from the federal government, I might add. Local government has several times raised with me the issue of cost. It requires eight staff on deck per session. There is an events person who works 50 per cent of their time in supporting these processes and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Citizenship ceremonies are fabulous events. We all go to them. We all see the tears. But the thought that in my community we can lift that from 120 conferrals at one session to 150, to get through a backlog, is outrageous. There has to be some sense of the personal happening on this day. Believe me, when I talk to people who've been through this process, this is the day they remember. In 40 or 50 years, they will remember the day they became an Australian citizen. And why is there a backlog? What could possibly be motivating this lack of efficiency? What could possibly be happening here? It's certainly not the fault of local government that there's this wait time. But there is a problem. And the problem rests, I would argue, with this government's watch and the way they're working through the issues.

We all know how important this is for people who are having citizenship conferred. We know that it is imperative. I had a person in my office last week talking about this delay and the fact that that will mean another semester of HECS payments at international student rates. If they became an Australian citizen, they would be able to access the HECS loan system. I've had people come to me who have had opportunities for employment in the Commonwealth Public Service but have had to wait for their citizenship. Time lines are being put on these people that are limiting the way they can contribute to our country. I think that that is the biggest crime.

I appreciate the words of the member for Calwell today. I know that the member for Calwell has conferral rights. I asked this government if I could be given such rights and was told no. There's a backlog. Wyndham City Council are being pressured to clear the backlog. They've dealt with the department. The department have said that they will send some of the locals into the city to some extra ones that they're going to do. Meanwhile, I'm sitting at home going, 'Hello?' I'd really love to be involved in this as someone who has conferral rights. If this government really wants to get serious, there are a few of us on this side of the House who might help you clear this backlog.

I want you also to think about the cost to local government. I don't think the contribution in FAGs is going anywhere near meeting the $100,000 that this is costing my local council. It is fundamentally Commonwealth business and Commonwealth work.

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