Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens are not going to facilitate this suspension, for the very simple reason that we do not support the bill. We do not support the legislation. We don't want it brought forward, because we don't want it to pass. So, while we are about to vote with the government on this suspension, the reasons for the position that we are taking are very different from the reasons that the government is taking.

I want to take a very short opportunity to explain why it is that we don't support this legislation. Under this bill, the threshold for depriving dual nationals of citizenship on national security grounds will be lowered and there are inadequate protections provided to reduce and prevent the likelihood of people being made stateless. This legislation, should it pass, will mean that, with the stroke of a pen, the minister will be able to render people stateless. Labor is suggesting that its approach is in support of human rights. But make no mistake: because this bill will lower the threshold for determining dual citizenship and will provide inadequate protections against statelessness, this bill is actually contrary to Australia's human rights obligations. There is diminished judicial review, there is no merits review of ministerial decisions that may make people stateless and this legislation is inconsistent with Australia's international legal and human rights obligations.

We're not going to facilitate this suspension and, even though we will be voting on the same side of the chamber as the government, it is for very different reasons.