CITIZENSHIP OF AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25713, 27 January 1949, Page 5

CITIZENSHIP OF AUSTRALIA

NEW ACT IN FORCE NO DISADVANTAGE TO NEW ZEALANDERS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, Jan. 26. “Many thousands of people living in Australia acquired dual citizenship today when the Australian Citizenship Act came into force,” said the Hign Commissioner for New Zealand (Mr J. G. Barclay).

Discussing the effects of the recent citizenship legislation in British Commonwealth countries, he referred particularly to the 43,610 people living in Australia who were born in New Zealand, according to the 1947 census figures, and to any children born in Australia to these people. He said that a high percentage of these had probably been living in Australia for over five years and so automatically came under the provisions of both the Australian and New Zealand citizenship acts. New Zealand citizens living in Australia, whether or not they also possessed Australian citizenship, would not be under any disadvantage as compared with people born in Australia. said Mr Barclay. The Australian Minister of Immigration (Mr A. A. Calwell) had made this abundantly clear. New Zealand and other British Commonwealth citizens could vote, stand for Parliament, obtain positions in the Public Service, and do anything else in Australia that Australian citizens could do.