Politics

Pauline Hanson wants a crackdown on these families

Oct 18, 2016

BOONAH, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 21: Independent candidate for Beaudesert Pauline Hanson is interviewed by the media at the Boonah State Primary School during the Queensland State elections on March 21, 2009 in Boonah, Australia. The election will be conducted by the Electoral Commission of Queensland, an independent body answerable to Parliament. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Pauline Hanson

There have been laws recently made regarding terrorists with Australian ties – which allows them to be stripped of their dual citizenship – and these laws are to be tested this year as a dual nationality terrorist is facing prosecution, though an immediate High Court challenge is expected.

The laws faced fierce opposition from the Greens and crossbench senators, with independent Nick Xenophon fearing it could make Australians holidaying or living overseas terrorist targets.

But One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wants to go a step further, saying the immediate family of anyone stripped of their citizenship should be deported as well.

“It has to be a real deterrent to get these people out of the country,” she told the Seven Network.

“I don’t want them here.” Senator Hanson said anyone wanting to become an Australian citizen should have to wait at least seven years instead of four.

If they then commit a criminal offence punishable by more than 12 months’ jail, they should be deported, she said.

Fellow Senate crossbencher Derryn Hinch said the laws could stand up to a High Court challenge.

As a migrant he felt anyone who became a citizen should get all the rights and responsibilities of a person born in Australia and not be deported but that didn’t apply to dual-citizens.

“If you have a split personality, you should be able to be deported and sent back to your country of origin,” he said.

“I think this could stick.”

Greens immigration spokesman Nick McKim said there was plenty of legal opinion to support a High Court challenge.

Evidence to a parliamentary inquiry that Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson wasn’t asked to advise on the final version of the citizenship laws suggested the government had its doubts too, he said.

“They did not want to ask the second law officer of Australia whether in fact these laws may survive a High Court challenge,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“That suggests that the government is not confident that these laws would survive a constitutional challenge.”