Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise serious concerns that we are fighting the war on terror with the wrong weapons and that elements of the proposed changes to the citizenship legislation are actually damaging our ability to deal with radicalisation in our community. During the winter recess, I held in my electorate a community forum on citizenship laws. We were particularly—but not exclusively—focusing on those provisions of the legislation that give ministers the right to: make a determination of fact that a person has engaged in certain behaviour; then, secondly, make a determination that that amounts to an act of terrorism; and, thereafter, advise a person that they have had their citizenship revoked, where they were dual citizens.

People are deeply concerned about this. In my electorate, some 45 per cent of my constituents are born overseas and there will be many who are—as I was—not aware that they are dual citizens. It was only when I nominated for federal parliament that I discovered that I was automatically an Irish citizen because my father had been born in Ireland. The issue that I want to focus on today is the very disturbing evidence presented there that social cohesion has been breaking down, in part because of these proposed changes. We had a very powerful presentation from Dr Zarrin Siddiqui from Pakistanis in Australia, who have been an absolutely magnificent group in Western Australia, providing very positive role models for women and showing how a modern Islam is completely compatible with Australian culture, values and mores.

Dr Zarrin Siddiqui pointed out that already members in her community have become very hesitant about providing evidence to authorities on odd behaviour, because of the profound consequences that could result from this. Even if this turned out not to be something that was able to be substantiated as being in fact terrorist behaviour, there was that threat that citizenship could be lost. So there is this hesitancy about the traditional dialogue that has been taking place between these communities and the authorities, including the Australian Federal Police.

We were also told that Muslim families who have traditionally gone to non-Muslims schools are now moving to Muslim schools, because they fear being spied on, every aspect of teenage behaviour will be dwelt on and people making complaints. We have created a culture of fear. We learnt of Muslim families who were deciding that they wanted to move into areas where there were more other Muslim families so that they felt protected. We are ensuring that that great goodwill that has been part of our Australian community is in fact being brought under threat.

An extraordinary example was raised at the forum, where Muslim people now feel that they do not have the same political rights. A case was quoted where a man, who was an Australian citizen but of Muslim faith, was seeking a security clearance from work. He was asked in that process if he had attended any political protests and he nominated three peaceful meetings he had been to, including a candlelight vigil in relation to the war in Gaza. He was then denied his security clearance. There is this growing fear within the Islamic community that they are no longer entitled to participate fully in political life.

This is of deep concern. We must, of course, combat home-grown radicalisation; we need to act. But what we are doing with these proposed changes in citizenship laws is indeed creating an us and them. We are inciting, I believe, Islamic people to lose confidence in Australia's commitment to incorporating them into our community as an integral part of the community. (Time expired)