Born in Wales, emmigrated to Oz, grew up to be Oz PM (for a while anyway)

Does that mean that when we get citizenship, I can go into politics and stad a chance of the top job?? No immigrant will ever become President of the USA as you have to be born there, so what's the deal with Oz?

Not trying to be funny, I just find it quite odd that it can happen here

Steve

Why odd? Surely it's inclusive as opposed to exclusive.

Can you imagine the USA missing out on a great person to run their country just because they weren't born there? How dumb is that?

I look forward to your candidacy Steve. What policies will you be bringing with you?

Hee hee, I reckon I'd bring back hanging and reduce beer prices for starters lol

But Schwarzenegger is the hightest he'll ever go due to being born oversees, and I'm just wondering why it's not the same here. I personally think that she'll never get voted in by the electorate because of her non-Australian roots (not meant to sound like she's been shagging foreigners lol), but that will be purely down to nationalistic locals getting wind of the fact.

I agree that it's silly to miss out on a person who'd be good for the country, but what a tight rope she'll have to walk when discussing immigration

PS, free dime bars for every vote received

Change that Dime Bar to a Dairy Milk and you've got my vote!

Consider it done, (will get a special non-laminated English one for you too )

Fantastic, in that case I shall not only vote for you I will wear one of those Sandwich Board type things with Vote Stevenglish round Brisbane....


God I miss UK chocolate .

You'll learn during your citzenship test that you must give up other citzenships if you wish to stand for Parliament.

"To seek election to parliament
The freedom to seek election to
parliament is an important privilege
of Australian citizenship, and serving
in an Australian parliament is both an
honour and a heavy responsibility. To
stand for election, a candidate who is
also a citizen of another country must
show that they have done everything
possible to renounce that citizenship."

Thanks for that, that's very interesting. So there's been plenty of Welsh fellas at work giving it the biggun, but she's basically renounced her UK citizenship and essentially turned her back on her ancestors (this may be a bit strongly worded I know, but in essence that's what she's had to do)

I know to all intents and purposes she is Aussie through and through as she's been here since before she can remember.

This does rather scupper my plans to edge my bets, go for dual citizenship, and run for parliament in both countries though

It very much tho, does call into question Australias reputation as a racest nation, I can't think of a less racist policy. The fair go policy is alive and kicking and good on em.

You cna run for state parliament or local council as a dual citizen, but not Federal parliament.

I reckon Gillard is as Aussie as they come. In fact some of the Aussiest Aussies I've ever met have been born overseas, places like The Netherlands, Germany, Hungary. I don't think the electorate would care if the candidate was born overseas because a significant proportion them them will have been too.

Dude over the road, lovely guy. Full on Aussie but shortly after I met him I discovered I was more Australian than him, turns out he was born in Germany and come here as a boy. I'd taken my citizenship and he hadn't. I think the fact that a Pommy blow in like me was telling him I was more Aussie than he was spurred him on to get his citizenship last year.

I suppose it's a much harder decision for a German to take up Aussie citizenship as generally they are not allowed to hold dual citizenship and they automatically lose German citizenship if taking another one. I'm sure there'd be loads of poms who wouldn't get Aussie citizenship if that was the case for them too.

Very good point, just the term 'renounce my UK citizenship' would go against the grain for most poms including myself, as it would vice versa if an Aussie was going for UK citizenship.

Having said that, my old man is urging me to do just that

What, renounce your UK citizenship? Why?

I know, he sees keeping UK citizenship as an easy way out, now that our life is in Aus. I see what he's saying from the point that my wifes ma n pa feel completely the opposite, they've never liked the idea of us being here (I think it's more of a fook them sort of thing.

We've been on a 457 for the past 2 1/2 years and the word temporary gave the in-laws some solace, but while they've been here we've been granted 'permanent' residency, which has put them back to square one (tears etc)

I'll be keeping my UK passport, no worries there

What IS an Australian then? Can you clarify?