Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the bill, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings.

I table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated into Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2015 SPRING SITTINGS

AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT (ALLEGIANCE TO AUSTRALIA) Bill 2015

Purpose of the Bill

The Bill amends the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Citizenship Act) to broaden the powers relating to the cessation of Australian citizenship for those persons who are dual nationals who engage in terrorism and who are a serious threat to Australia and Australia's interests.

In particular, the Bill:

Reasons for Urgency

The Bill implements, in part, the Government's response to the Review of Australia's Counter-Terrorism Machinery for a Safer Australia, to introduce initiatives to counter violent extremism and manage the return of foreign fighters.

The existing revocation powers in the Citizenship Act are inadequate to address the Government's concerns in relation to persons who have acted contrary to their allegiance to Australia by engaging in terrorist-related conduct. The amendments contained in the Bill are therefore necessary to provide explicit powers for the cessation of Australian citizenship in specified circumstances where a dual citizen repudiates their allegiance to Australia by engaging in terrorism-related conduct and to ensure the safety and security of Australia and its people.

In their report on the Bill, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security made 27 recommendations.