Australian Nationality Law - Rights and Responsibilities of Australian Citizens

Rights and Responsibilities of Australian Citizens

Australian citizens enjoy the following rights (subject to certain exceptions):

• entitlement to an Australian passport and to Australian consular assistance overseas
• entitlement to leave Australia and return at any time without any immigration restrictions
• immunity from deportation
• entitlement to register overseas born children as Australian citizens by descent (subject to some additional criteria)
• entitlement to seek employment by the Federal (Commonwealth) Government, or in the Australian Defence Force (where citizenship is normally required)
• entitlement to vote and stand for public office (dual citizens cannot stand for office in the Federal Parliament unless they have taken all reasonable steps to renounce their foreign citizenship. (See Sue v Hill for a pertinent High Court case). Most states do allow dual citizens to stand for State Parliaments).

The following responsibilities are expected of Australian citizens:

• obey the law
• defend Australia should the need arise
• enrol to vote, and vote at all elections and referenda (unless there is a reasonable excuse such as a religious objection, being overseas or illness on polling day)
• serve on a jury, if called upon