AFTA update

From AFTA’s chief executive, Jayson Westbury

WITH the Federal Government returning to Canberra after the winter recess it has come with some interesting and somewhat surprising news in relation to the current issue of dual citizenship of sitting Senators and Members of Parliament. Yesterday, it surfaced that our Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources and member for New England is in fact a New Zealand citizen.

Under the Australian constitution (section 44) a Member of Parliament (MP) or Senator is not entitled to be elected to the Australian Parliament if they hold citizenship with any other country than Australia. This means a dual national is forbidden to sit in our Parliament. I guess the architects of the constitution all those years ago really wanted Australians only to be our elected members of parliament. I think most modern Australians would support that 100%.

The challenge now will be how the High Court of Australia looks at the various cases that have now surfaced in our current Parliament with several Senators stepping down or aside as a result of their dual citizenship being disclosed. It is clearly going to be an interesting time over the coming weeks as all this unfolds. Remember, the House of Representatives has a one seat majority which allows Prime Minister Turnbull to form government.

The issue of dual citizenship presents all sorts of challenges in the travel industry also, as it turns out. Not that it removes a person’s ability to travel, but it can present challenges for border forces when dual nationals depart on one passport and return on another. Or don’t declare this to their travel agent and decide to travel on one of their passports which may need a visa to gain entry to a particular country whereas their Australian passport may not or vice versa.

It’s all a bit tricky and a problem nevertheless, and one for the travel industry to have in mind. With the more advanced border security in place and the intelligent data sharing that is also now in play after the removal of the green departure card, dual nationals need to be a little more mindful of their comings and goings from Australia.

A little like our politicians as it turns out.