The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has today tabled its report on its Review of the Australian Citizenship renunciation by conduct and cessation provisions.

Media release issue date: Wednesday, 4 December 2019

  The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has today tabled its report on its Review of the Australian Citizenship renunciation by conduct and cessation provisions. The Committee found that, as the conduct provisions currently operate, the Minister’s role is effectively limited to restoring a person’s citizenship after it has been lost or exempting a person from the effect of those provisions, which is due to the provisions’ automatic nature. Following an in-depth and considered review the Committee found that the current ‘operation of law’ model, whereby a dual-national’s Australian citizenship is automatically renounced through their actions, should be replaced by a ministerial decision-making model. Such a model would allow the Minister to take into account a broader range of considerations in determining whether to cease an individual’s citizenship. This determination was founded on advice from national security agencies, which advised the Committee that further flexibility was required to utilise citizenship cessation to maximum effect. The Committee noted that the Government has proposed such a ministerial decision-making model in the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Citizenship Cessation) Bill 2019. The Committee is currently finalising its report on the Bill, ensuring that the proposed amendments operate as effectively as possible. The report can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media inquiries: Chair, Mr Andrew Hastie MP  08 9534 8044 (Electorate office) 02 6277 4223 (Parliament House) For background information: Committee Secretariat 02 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing for its Review of the Australian Citizenship renunciation by conduct and cessation provisions.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 1 August 2019

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security will hold a public hearing for its Review of the Australian Citizenship renunciation by conduct and cessation provisions. The Chair, Mr Andrew Hastie MP, said ‘This hearing will allow the Committee to hear from government agencies and other interested civil society stakeholders as to the operation, effectiveness and implications of sections 33AA, 35, 35AA and 35A of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. We will consider these issues closely and carefully.’ Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Public hearing details: Date: Friday 2 August, 2019 Time: 9.00 am – 3.00 pm Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra A full program for the hearing can be found here. Media inquiries: Chair, Mr Andrew Hastie MP (Canning, WA) (08) 9534 8044 (Electorate office) (02) 6277 4223 (Parliament House) For background information: Committee Secretariat, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au