Dual Citizenship - The next big debate?

A fascinating new debate is about to start in Australia concerning dual citizenship - according to a discussion among media personalities on the Channel 9 Sunday program.

There are currently mixed emotions about this subject that have been brought into sharp relief by the current situation in Lebanon.

There are various points of view that appear to vie for our attention.

"If you decide that you want to live in another country and continue to live there - should you be allowed to retain your Australian citizenship?"

Those in favour of a "YES" response argue that once you have obtained citizenship you should be allowed to maintain this without any restrictions, because you have in effect paid your dues by meeting the citizenship requirements.

"But what if there is a problem in the country you have chosen to move to - should you still be entitled to the support of the Australian tax payers to get you out of there - after all you chose to move to that country to live?"

The "Yes" supporters of course argue that it is not possible to layer Australian citizenship - you either have it or you don't and if you do then you are entitled to expect and receive support from your government.

Those who argue the "No" case would of course reject this argument. They would argue that we should be like the Dutch. If you choose to live in another country and do not return to take up domicile in Holland again then after a number of years of being absent, your Dutch citizenship lapses.

So how is the Australian government responding in the case of those who are dual nationals in Lebanon?

As I understand it, they are having an each way bet and so ducking the issue.

Those who are dual nationals and merely visiting Lebanon will have their fares back to Australia paid for by the Australian tax payer - unless of course they can get a refund through their travel insurance - in which case they will be asked to repay the costs incurred.

Those who are dual nationals, but actually have chosen to live in Lebanon and only occasionally visit Australia will be asked to pay for their repatriation.

Each of these decisions will no doubt be accompanied by a huge debate about "second class citizenship" for people of Lebanese extraction, discrimination and who knows what else.

So let's be a little daring here and ask some other questions.

If you are an Australian citizen and you run out of money while overseas and call on the Embassy or consulate for assistance what happens?

The Australian consulate or embassy will lend you some money! You will be asked to sign an agreement to pay the money back as and when you can.

If you need to be repatriated to Australia, but have run out of funds, AND there are no friends or family to help and you do not have insurance, then the Australian governement will arrange for your repatriation home.

There is however a 'cost' namely that the cost of your arrangements remain a debt due and payable to the Commonwealth. Until you repay the debt you generally have your passport stamped in such a way as to make it impossible for you to leave Australia again until you have repaid the debt!

This has been policy in DFAT for years! There is no such thing as a free lunch!

The Australian government has some obligations for sure - but then again, so do you, if you choose to travel.

If you are notionally an Australian citizen, but really have spent no time at all in this country (for example if you were born here, but your parents then took you overseas to live while you were still an infant) and you get into trouble in a foreign country can you rely on your Australian citizenship for support?

Well actually you can.

However once again there are costs involved.

If you have migrated to Australia, but were silly enough not to take out Australian citizenship and you then go overseas again and get into trouble and then ask for support you are likely to experience the situation of the convicted criminal with some mental problems who was deported back to the country of his birth in the Balkans and then spent weeks crying in front of the Australian consulate and embassy (much to the no doubt profit and enjoyment of the media who beat up this story) because the country of his birth denied him citizenship and hence support.

Soft hearted that we are (or influenced by media beat ups) this person was granted an opportunity to return to Australia - at least for a while. We have not heard from him or his relatives since!

Then there is the interesting case of dual citizens who just happen to be able to claim dual Italian and Australian citizenship.

In this case Italian/Australians are now able to vote in Italian elections and actually stand for office in the Italian government.

Two current examples exist of Australian citizens who have been elected by the overseas diaspora of Italians and have actually gone to live in Italy and be a part of their parliamentary system.

What rights should these people have as Australian citizens? To which country do they owe a loyalty if there is matter that comes up for discussion where the Italian government's view is contrary to the view of the Australian government?

Should people who are in such a situation have the right to expect all the rights pertaining to their Australian citizenship or, being Italian citizens and members of the Parliament in Italy, should the Italian government have a sole responsibility for them?

The answers are not simple, but the questions do need to be asked and the matter clarified.

I suspect that one way the argument can run is to suggest that when you decide to migrate to Australia you make a conscious decision that you can either no longer live in your country of origin or choose to live elsewhere for a 'better life'.

At this point part of the decision making should be to decide whether or not you can still claim as 'home' the place you are deciding to leave behind.

If you make a subsequent decision to 'return home' then you should be asked to make a similar decision about Australia.

Perhaps we should end with that now famous quote from John F Kennedy:

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask rather what you can do for your country."

Perhaps it is time for someone in Australia to ask a similar question of our fellow Australians especially those who hold dual citizenship. Life is about choices, risks and consequences and not necessarily about having an each way bet!