Yes exactly. Same in Australia now (I think it changed around 1984 but that's off the top of my head so it may have been earlier or later).

In my case I wasn't born in Italy, but was born to Italian parents (even that part was complicated as my mother wasn't aware she had Italian citizenship herself). Compulsory military service ended in 2004 and I didn't actually get my details registered with the consulate until 2005 so they didn't bother me when I turned 18.

The key point is, I obtained my citizenship via birth, I didn't need to really do anything to obtain that citizenship. The paperwork was for administration purposes (e.g. knowing how to contact me about voting and to get a passport) and I didn't need to take an oath of allegiance or anything. A lot of people would be blissfully unaware that they have these entitlements.

lol Aus government gave Foxtel 30mil to cover sports that were undershown yet they have no paperwork as to what the money was actually spent on.

-PB

You see, thats part my point and skepticism , national interest and productive economy, people pushing this barrow and granted its needed should look to address these alternatives with an open view for lets face it we really have no real proof of cost savings to the end consumer/us for nothing is proven clearly and tested but people who question this as me are treated like moron backward thinking citizens - well hello I'm all for changes/improvements as said but to be told it will cost less that for now wind farms/batteries etcetc are not 2bob ! feck even tesla's are over priced bits of tech tin that can't travel distances were accustomed to to date.
All we keep being told, here is the future but setting this up costs a bomb, granted but still no real proof of reductions until its actually up and running.
As for the Fed Govs, they have been a mess on the uptake on most things for 20yrs imo. More so being destracted by in fighting and not keeping up with the times period.
Abbott destroying your State - turn it up - your State has been pear shaped long before that AND for starters the local car industry for one being one of the major employers there are more to blame for not keeping up with the times themselves and Unions contributing massively to company costs and you expect our taxs/Fed Gov to have kept dipping in.
Sorry ridiculous.
Yes were all seeing significant price increase's and the answer is whats to become - we shall see, so many variables as you say -  I'll be watching with baited breath.

I think you will find that the majority of the population would have some grievance with a citizen of another country making decision on how the people of this country live their lives.

Agree, constituation, laws,State differing laws etcetcetc, very very out dated.
Many things need to get up to speed but can you imagine the up roar being our society has become so damn petty and pathetic....
How many referendums ? how many inquiries - it would take decades and by the time its done they are out of date lol...... 
As to regards the citizenship carnage - seriously how would you not know or at least making sure yourself on the subject.
Sorry, you wish to be in our politics you have to be Aussie !

Yeah for sure. I actually don't mind the rule but  it's problematic. In reality the renouncing of citizenship is really just a gesture not much different to taking an oath. If you saw the 4 corners story about Chinese government influence in Australian politics you'd have seen some ex-chinese nationals who have Australian citizenship still being influenced by their former government. Those people would have no issues serving in parliament but people like Ludlam or Waters do? Like I said problematic.

The state government made the statement that it could lower electricity prices because of A, B,C reasons. All the reasons were reasonable so why can't they say it? If the didn't say it then how do they justify the expenditure. Can't win.

I agree that 20 years is about right (11 March 1996 so its more like 21).

Abbott made the situation much worse. Happy to talk through the issues from the State Bank collapse on but not now. However originally you said "SA has been a basket case for as long as we've known" which while probably true for most of the younger forum members it's definitely wrong for many of us.

Just because I love this video clip, I'm going to post it here as it makes me nostalgic about the old Adelaide :laugh:

I'll give you credit hoping to see reduced pricing one day - like I said I'll be waiting, its not about the win as you quote its about what actually does happen if ever...how many projects are announced with that bait - reduced costs lol......
No point talking State Bank as I'm sure you have your own take on it not surprising, water under the bridge - and if it wasn't Abbott its someone else.
SA is a basket case - I agree its wrong.
Your vid has nothing to do on the subject but as long as your satisfied.

Question - Two Senators had to step down because they were never eligible to be Senators. Please tell me they don't get a pension for life now.

It depends on when they entered parliament. The pension for life scheme ended a number of years ago. I think John Howard scrapped it in 2004.

Well there goes Canavan! 

This is exactly the sort of thing I said last week. Don't like the guy but as I said the rules are problematic.

His story sounds like some absolute horseshit though. 

Having been through the process I can see how his story may be possible. Strongly dislike the guy, he's an environmental wrecker, but I think disqualifying people on potential technicalities like this is problematic. Besides, he's an LNP senator for Queensland, who knows what sort of nutcase will get in instead.

I am fully aware of both. And it is very simple.

Anyone can have dual citizenship as a birthright (being born there) or passed onto them from either parents, or grand parents or both. 

And of course there are slight variations of the above 2 from one country to the next. 
Bottom line is, if you were born in another country, then chances are you have citizenship. If one or both parents were born in another country, then chances are you are a dual citizen.

The argument based on ignorance just doesn't seem reasonable to me at all. 

I just made my children dual citizens of another country. Now, we pass on right now, chances are they won't know about it in adulthood, but you would think that if they werre to become Australian Senators, it would be something they would check considering the families background. 

Why he hasn't resigned completely is a joke haha, High Court should be ruling him invalid anyways however.

-PB

Yes, Italy is one of many countries that allow hereditary citizenship from one generation to the next. 

You don't need to be born in Italy. The fact that you are born of Italian Citizens, is enough. 

Countries that have compulsory military Conscription are notorious for this. You also have a Military obligation under Italian law. Or at least did have before 2005.

Same with me. I have a Military Obligation with Israel. Every time I enter, I take an exit permit and have to report to Ministry of Defence. 

I'm not sure I get your drift. 

I think you believe that renouncing citizenship is just a gesture. It is in fact a full on renunciation.

You won't be able to get that citizenship back again unless you go through the entire naturalization process which will take years. Even then, I would say it is difficult to succeed because you renounced the citizenship. 

Come on! Your situation is a little different, this guy knew his mother had gone and received citizenship, why should his ignorance be tolerated? 

On top of that are we meant to believe that this was never discussed with his mother? That he wasn't involved in this process at all? 

All documents need to be released ASAP. 

The guy clearly has no integrity. It's not surprising he's clawing on for dear life though, pretty much sums up this government. 

The point here is, that it is very difficult to believe any of them. By pleading ignorance, all 3 Senators are either just stupid (and I mean real stupid) or they telling lies.

The latter is probably the case, but even the former is just as bad and should disqualify all of them just for being dumb! 

And who in their right mind would ever renounce Italian citizenship? The country is a paradise on earth. 

I  can understand renouncing Australian Citizenship or Kiwi citizenship but who in their right mind would renounce US, Canadian, or Italian citizenship?

I'm 50-50 on this, I think it's good that the section is being tested in the high court as it helps for future cases. Unless some key piece of evidence is being withheld, he's probably cooked.

The law is pretty clear though. The courts need only just apply the law. 

And the forms they had to fill out were self explanatory too. 

I think his, Waters' and Ludlam's should be tolerated but theirs weren't and on the balance of it his shouldn't either. I just think the rule is problematic.

Again, I'm uncomfortable defending him as I have no respect for him. :laugh:

Yep, show the form where he got citizenship without him signing it lol.

-PB

It get's worse. He was sent ballot papers in order to cast a vote at Italian General and Euro Elections. 

He is claiming that he never received them and that his mother never passed them on. :lol:

And the Italian Consulate just came out and said that it was impossible for a 25 year old to get Italian Citizenship without signing the forms. 

Technically the Constitution is simply that you can't hold citizenship (or allegiances) to a foreign country. It makes no mention, except unless your mum didn't tell you. Unfortunately it doesn't matter how he became a 'citizen' of Italy. If he has some allegiance to them (irrespective of how he got it) he is in breach of the Constitution. I can't see how the law can be interpreted any other way.

This.

And there should be no room for interpretation either. 

It is the Constitution.

-PB

Surely when a member goes to their political party and says I want to run for a Federal House in Parliament they go "That's good, we just need to have a lawyer look over your details. Oh, you were born overseas we better check that. Oh, your parents are from overseas we better check that too."

Then when you get elected shouldn't the Government go ... "okay you've been elected, here are the Constitutional laws. We're going to make sure none of you breach those laws. oh, you were born overseas we better check that. oh, your parents are from overseas we better check that too."

Considering people like Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard were able to determine to do this decades ago, surely this is an issue that hasn't recently come up and one that you'd think plenty of checks and balances would be in place for so they don't sit for years in government unconstitutionally??

Looks like Malcolm Roberts could be in some strife now too.