Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to make a brief contribution tonight to this debate, which is important to all Australians. Unlike the member for Rankin, I believe the Australian Citizenship Bill 2005 is important. Of course the coalition will not be opposing the bill; I certainly will not be. Traditionally in this country Australia Day is a national holiday, a day to reflect on our rich history, a day to celebrate with friends and family, usually with an Aussie barbecue, outdoors in this wonderful country of ours, a day that traditionally marks the end of the summer holidays, the end of a long hot summer, of holidays at the beach, beautiful long hot summer nights and clear blue skies. But, apart from being a national holiday, Australia Day for many will hold a special place in their hearts. For many Australians or new Australians it is a new beginning because, in communities right around Australia, citizenship ceremonies are held to embrace our newest Aussie citizens.

I as a member of the federal parliament am conferred with the power to act as a presiding officer at two ceremonies that are held in my electorate on that day. Both ceremonies are rewarding and very moving, and tonight I would like to pay tribute to Mr Ron Workman and the Currumbin Palm Beach RSL for hosting one of these very moving ceremonies. A ceremony earlier this year saw 90 new Aussies take out their citizenship. It took place in the company of many of our veterans, our local high school captains, members of our cadet units and representatives from our local Indigenous community—the traditional custodians of our land, the Currumbin people. The ceremony is very moving; there are tears and laughter. The hopes and dreams of many are shared on the day, as are the challenges and difficulties that many have faced before coming to our wonderful country. The morning service is a celebration of the cultural and ethnic diversity that is the hallmark of Australia today.

The planning for next year’s ceremony is already under way. The morning has a true Aussie flavour, with presentations from members of our Indigenous community, with poetry readings and singing and, of course, with great Aussie tucker. The evening ceremony is hosted by the Mudgeeraba Lions and includes a great Aussie barbecue in a local hall. On Australia Day this year, 30 new Aussies accepted our invitation to dinner, and what a celebration that was. There is nothing like a sausage sandwich and a lamington—both great Aussie traditions that we shared on that evening. The Mudgeeraba Lions are going to host this event again next year.

We as a country can be proud of our accomplishments, we can be proud of our rich heritage and we can be proud of our vibrant and democratic society. We believe in the notion of a fair go for all. And, as a nation since the introduction of Australian citizenship on 26 January 1949, we can be proud that people from more than 200 countries around the world have made their homes in Australia. For many of these people that have made Australia their home it is the first time they have enjoyed liberty and freedom from persecution, hunger, disease and poverty. Many of these people have come here under our very generous refugee program and have found peace in their lives.

As someone who took out Australian citizenship in 1975, I can say that undertaking that step gave me a very strong bond with this country. It was an important milestone in my life. I am proud to be an Australian and I am proud that this country has allowed me the opportunity to serve in the national parliament. In my view, Australian citizenship provides a pathway to full participation in our Australian society.

Taking out Australian citizenship is a cause for celebration and reflection. People often comment to me after the ceremony about their first impressions of our country and what taking out Australian citizenship has meant to them. They describe the physical attributes of our great land: the wide open spaces, the light, the colour, the different trees and landscapes, the new smells from our different foods—I have even had people comment on the humble sandwich, something we all take for granted—the sounds of our outback, our animals and birds, the friendliness and warmth of our people, and the sense of reassurance for many that they are safe from persecution and deprivation. These impressions should never be taken for granted, and indeed Aussies can be proud that our new migrants—our new Aussies—feel this security and warmth when they arrive on our shores.

But for many of these people life has not been easy. There have been language and cultural difficulties and, of course, homesickness. It has been said that homesickness is felt most strongly in the first two years, particularly by those who grieve for their families and the domestic customs they leave behind. There is loyalty to one’s country—they are torn between the old and the new: loyalty to the old country and loyalty to their new home.

The citizenship ceremony plays an important role as the significant rite of passage in the journey to becoming an Australian citizen. It is a moment when people begin to identify themselves as Australian. The pledge of commitment is very powerful. It reflects the significance of the commitment made by people who have chosen to embrace Australian citizenship.

The package of bills before the House today contains amendments which maintain the intent of the bills. The intent of the bills is to achieve a better structured and more accessible and modernised piece of citizenship legislation, and I believe they do. I would like to outline some of those amendments here tonight. The major amendment implements the recently announced change to government policy on the residency requirements, and that has caused quite a deal of debate. This requires applicants for Australian citizenship to have a minimum of four years lawful residence in Australia immediately prior to making an application for citizenship, including at least 12 months as a permanent resident. Currently the qualifying period is two years, which had previously been extended to three years in the existing bill. Absences of up to 12 months during the four-year period are allowed, with no more than three months in the year before making the application. Personally, I see no problem with that four-year rule. I think it gives new Australians every opportunity to find peace here in our country, to assimilate into our country, to get to know what our values are and to live harmoniously with what we value here in our country. Importantly, persons who are permanent residents before the changes come into effect will only be required to meet the current qualifying period—two years as a permanent resident in Australia in the last five years, including 12 months in the last two years—provided they apply for citizenship within three years of the commencement of the act, as recommended by the Senate committee.

However, there are new discretions and they do apply. The previous act contained a number of discretions in relation to the residency requirement and was difficult to administer. Some of the provisions had a particular focus on application for merits review. In these proposed new amendments before the chamber today, the provisions have been revised to meet the policy objectives. These important changes include the removal of a discretion in relation to periods of time spent overseas involved in activities beneficial to Australia, and the inclusion of a discretion which provides for the minister to treat a period spent in Australia other than as a permanent resident or unlawful noncitizen as a period of permanent residence if the person would suffer significant hardship or disadvantage if citizenship were not granted.

The majority of amendments to the Australian Citizenship Bill 2005 address recommendations made by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee’s report into the bill tabled in February 2006. These include: provisions for stateless people that fully comply with the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, changes to the personal identifier provisions to more effectively combat document and identity fraud in citizenship applications, clarification of the circumstances where an application for citizenship may be made by a child in their own right and when an application may be considered as part of the application of a responsible parent, and maintenance of review rights existing in the current act.

One amendment is made in response to a recommendation of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services inquiry into the adoption of children overseas. I know the member for Mackellar, who chaired that inquiry, will be delighted to see this provision. This provides that a child who has been adopted overseas by an Australian citizen for full and permanent adoption in accordance with arrangements under the Hague convention on intercountry adoption can be registered as an Australian citizen. The bill also includes a change to government policy allowing for resumption of Australian citizenship by former citizens who renounced their citizenship to acquire or retain another citizenship.

We have often heard that Australian citizenship is a privilege and not a right, and to that end we must ensure that people understand that privilege. It is important that applicants have spent a reasonable amount of time in our country and that, during that time, they gain a very clear understanding of our Australian values and our Australian way of life and understand the responsibility they have to fully participate in the opportunities that life in Australia offers. The bills are not about punishing or penalising people by making them wait longer before they can apply for Australian citizenship; they are about giving people the time to embrace our way of life and to understand the rights and responsibilities that go hand in hand with Australian citizenship. They are about having time to adjust to the Australian lifestyle.

The final act of taking out Australian citizenship is a formal commitment to our country and the values that uniquely define us as Australians. Most of our new Aussies do eagerly grasp the opportunity to feel the sense of belonging, to make the commitment to become one of us—an Australian citizen. In fact many of our new citizens have encouraged us to value our way of life—the freedoms that we can often take for granted. I know there have been many times when I have seen my country through new eyes and reflected on what it means to be an Australian. That particularly comes home to me during those citizenship ceremonies when I meet people from all corners of the globe and they share with me some of the hardships and challenges they have endured in their own lives and, in coming here to Australia, what it means to them to embrace the freedom, values and culture of Australia.

The range of contributions made to this country by many of our migrants is just breathtaking. The diversity of our ethnic origins is truly the strength of our multicultural society. Many of Australia’s top corporate executives, diplomats, lawyers, doctors, academics and people from industry and business generally make up the rich tapestry that is Australia.

Australia is and always will be a multicultural society. Our multicultural policies have served Australia well, contributing, I believe, to a fairer and more just society. The cultural diversity of our nation is indeed a strength—a strength that has built a cohesive and harmonious society which has contributed to the economic, cultural and social fabric of our great country. I commend the bills to the House.

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