Australia may toughen citizenship rules

[maddezmom]

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Australian government is considering toughening citizenship rules as part of its anti-terrorism campaign in light of the British Muslim suicide bombings in London, a government minister said on Saturday.
The key measures being considered are doubling the number of years of permanent residency, from two to four, before citizenship is granted and more stringent security checks, including international legal checks.

"Everything is on that table that may be able to tighten our security in an acceptable way," Citizenship Minister John Cobb told Australia's Sky News television.

"We already do conduct checks before anybody is allowed to migrate to Australia in the first place," Cobb said.

"If we need perhaps to look at a longer term of permanent residence before getting citizenship, and perhaps more checks before people are actually allowed to go down that route, well so be it."

more:http://go.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=839807§ion=news&src=rss/uk/worldNews

[Maple]

1. Considering Australia's beginnings....

and the fact they are a remote island....I'd say this was a local bit of showboating.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Adrian Luca]

3. oooh, aren't you smart

Australia is a country of over 20 million people, with a very large immigration program. Your comments seem bigoted, smug and and stereotypically ugly and ignorant.

Of course to you Australia is just a former prison colony and remote island, but for thousands upon thousands of refugees since WW2 Australia has been a sanctuary and chance for a new life.

[Maple]

4. I know how big you are

and how you began...and this is a local bit of showboating.

Rightwing showboating at that.

[Adrian Luca]

5. How we began?

We began the same way the United States began...what's your point, bigot?