Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

  Dual citizenship strengthens the social and economic fabric of our nation. The ability of Australian citizens to also be citizens of other countries gives people more freedom to move in an increasingly globalised world. It has strengthened our links with other nations, including in our region. Dual citizenship recognises there are Australians who have close connections to Australia and to another country as well.

The recent counter-terrorism review concluded that Australia has entered a new, long-term era of heightened terrorism threat with a much more significant home-grown element. It assessed that the threat of terrorism in Australia is rising along with the number of known sympathisers and supporters of extremists. Thousands of young and vulnerable people in the community are susceptible to radicalisation.

The Commonwealth government intends to update the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 so dual nationals who engage in terrorism can lose their citizenship. The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection will be able to exercise these powers in the national interest where a dual citizen betrays our country by participating in serious terrorist-related activities. Since 1949, Australians with dual citizenship who fight for a country at war with Australia have forfeited their citizenship. Our success as a nation is underpinned by a commitment by all Australians to a law-abiding, peaceful and open society, and in an environment in which terrorism is reaching out to our community we need to ensure that this is well understood.