Have your say! Make a submission to the inquiry and support stronger Australian Citizenship.

To support Senator Hanson’s Citizenship reform changes please vote yes on the official Parliamentary Committee Poll.

The Senate is currently holding an inquiry into Senator Hanson’s proposal to strengthen requirements for Australian citizenship.

Since 2011 over three million people, born overseas but not entitled to Australian Citizenship by descent, have come to live in Australia. All of these people can apply for Citizenship after living here for four years including one year on a permanent visa and correctly answering 12 out of 20 multiple choice questions.

The Greens and Labor oppose changing the English test, in effect saying you do not need to be able to speak, read or write English to fulfil your role as a citizen. The Labor-Greens alliance has so far blocked all attempts to strengthen the requirements for Australian citizenship.

Senator Hanson’s proposal will strengthen our citizenship process by requiring:

• A new English Test
• An increase in the general residency requirement
• Applicants required to provide evidence integration into the Australian Community
• The relevant Minister be allowed to take into account whether the applicant was a risk to security, a proven criminal, had cheated on the English test or had made any other relevant misrepresentation

Read more about Senator Hanson’s proposed changes via the APH website.

If you have any personal experiences relevant to your view on whether or not the proposed legislation in full or in part should become law, then please take the time to tell your story.

Read more about making your submission via the inquiry website.

Your submission must be more than 250 words and include your name and address.

The best submissions:

• Clearly address some or all of the terms of reference—you do not need to address each one
• Are relevant and highlight your own perspective
• Are concise, generally no longer than four to five pages
• Begin with a short introduction about yourself or the organisation you represent
• Emphasise the key points so that they are clear
• Outline not only what the issues are but how problems can be addressed, as the committee looks to submissions for ideas to make recommendations
• Only include documents that directly relate to your key points
• Only include information you would be happy to see published on the internet.

Submissions that include complex argument, personal details or criticise someone may take the committee longer to process and consider.

Read more about making submissions.