|
March 4, 2025
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson has demanded the government share with MPs the contact details of new Australians sworn in by Tony Burke during a flurry of mass citizenship ceremonies, following accusations the events had been hijacked to buy votes.
Criticising the large-scale events as a "reckless politicisation" of citizenship ceremonies ahead of a federal election, Senator Paterson has written to Department of Home Affairs secretary Stephanie Foster to request that the contact details of new Australians be shared in a "timely, apolitical manner".
Senator Paterson said the details were required to be shared with a citizen's local MP under the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code, to allow the local member the "opportunity to welcome" them to the community.
Home Affairs took control of the ceremonies, where new citizens were instructed on how to enrol to vote and informed about electoral boundaries, in a move that has drawn accusations from the Coalition that the events were a bid to enrol thousands of voters in key seats.
"Given Tony Burke's reckless politicisation of the citizenship process on the eve of an election, I have zero confidence Labor won't try to play more games," Senator Paterson said.
"It's the responsibility of the Department of Home Affairs to uphold the citizenship code, and I expect them to do so, particularly as we are likely to shortly enter into caretaker mode for the election.
"Enough damage has already been done to public confidence in our migration system on the Albanese governments watch."
The citizenship ceremony code says it is "important and appropriate" that federal, state and territory MPs have the chance to welcome new citizens "as formal members of the Australian community".
"Where requested, local government councils should forward the names and addresses of new citizens (including email addresses) to local federal, state and territory MPs and local government councillors," the code says.
The choice of local MPs to attend the events, scheduled between February 17 and March 4 in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane, has drawn criticism, with mostly Labor members receiving an invitation.
Fowler MP Dai Le said she had not been invited to attend a ceremony in Sydney. Labor Hasluck MP Tania Lawrence and former Liberal MP Ian Goodenough who is standing as an independent in the electorate of Moore were invited to the Perth ceremony.
"Given that the Department of Home Affairs has taken responsibility for this round of citizenship ceremonies, and given that not all members of parliament were invited to participate in them, even when they had residents of their electorate being conferred citizenship, I am seeking your assurance the department will follow the normal process of providing these contact details on an equal basis to all relevant MPs," Senator Paterson wrote in the letter.
Labor has denied the citizenship blitz was politically motivated, arguing that it could not be known which way the new citizens would vote and the government was merely clearing a backlog of eligible new citizens.
A Home Affairs spokeswoman said the ceremony organisers either the department or local council should "forward the names and addresses of new citizens (including email addresses) to local federal, state and territory MPs and local government councillors".
"New citizens are informed through the application form for conferral of Australian citizenship that their information may be disclosed to MPs and local government councillors for the purpose of welcoming new citizens as constituents," she said.
