2018 Sir Frank Kitto Public Lecture

Deliverd by The Hon. Michael Kirby, AC CMG. presents ‘Dual Nationality and the Constitution. Do we need to amend the Constitution?’ JP Belshaw Lecture Theatre (LT1), EBL Building Back in 1900, when the Constitution was adopted, there was no way that the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand or other realms of the British Crown could be regarded as a ‘’foreign power ‘’. So what happened on the way to recent decisions that led to the disqualification of members of the Federal Parliament, and in particular those who were nationals of the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand? In this public talk Michael Kirby, a past Justice of the High Court of Australia, will explain the language and meaning of the provisions of the Australian Constitution, section 44 (i) disqualifying for election or participation in our Federal Parliament (House of Representatives or Senate) of any person who ‘’is under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience, or an adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power.”