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Maltese Welfare (NSW) Inc. Submission Australian Senate’s
Legal and Constitutional Reference Committee Inquiry into Australian
Expatriates
The members of
our organization have requested us to submit to your committee our views on
the possible resumption of citizenship rights to those persons living in
You are no
doubt aware of the plight of some 2,000 persons born in
In year 2000,
after a concentrated campaign by the Maltese Community in
It has to be
reiterated that most of those affected by this anomaly had very little choice
in the decision of their parents to relocate to
In
In July 2002, the Australian Government showed good sense and compassion when the law was amended so that persons who had renounced their Australian citizenship and are still under 25 years of age may resume it. However we are finding that many of the Australian born Maltese mentioned above are not covered by this amendment as they are over the prescribed age.
It is therefore our view that your committee should recommend that persons born in Australia legally should be given the opportunity to resume their citizenship since most of these persons have kept close links with the country of their birth, have spent most of their formative years in Australia and therefore will, if they decide to come back to Australia, make very good loyal citizens.
These persons are not trying to circumvent the system nor are they queue-jumpers; they are Australian born who have been adversely disadvantaged by circumstance initiated by their parents whilst they were in their childhood years.
My committee and members strongly recommend to your committee to give heed to our recommendation. President Tel 02 96319295 Mob: 041 240 9006 Email: president@maltesewelfare.com |