|
March 3, 2025
Labor's mass citizenship drive has sparked criticism over the role of the Home Affairs department in organising the ceremonies, with Liberal Senator James Paterson saying he was "concerned" after allegations the move helped pump new voters into marginal seats in Western Sydney.
The Opposition's home affairs spokesman said the department "could have and should have" pushed back on organising the ceremonies, which resulted in 12,000 people becoming Australian citizens with the right to vote in the upcoming federal election.
Senator Paterson claimed of the 25 ceremonies held, 21 were held in Labor seats.
"I'm concerned with the way the Department of Home Affairs has conducted itself on several issues, but in particular in recent weeks in relation to (Home Affairs Minister) Tony Burke's industrial scale, election-eve, express citizenship ceremonies," Mr Paterson told ABC's Insiders yesterday.
"There were 25 of them, 21 of them were held in Labor seats.
And Tony Burke ensured that Labor MPs were invited to participate in them, but Liberal MPs weren't.
"I think this has been a real problem and I think the department could have and should have pushed back more on that."
Mr Burke last week denied the mass citizenship ceremonies had been held to add voters in key marginal seats, claiming the actions had been taken to address a backlog.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese previously said the events were organised at "arm's length" of the government by the Home Affairs department.
Mr Paterson also refused to confirm if the Coalition would keep the current Secretary of Home Affairs, Stephanie Foster, in her role if they won the election, saying "we'll make those decisions if and when we win the election, not before".
