With Quade Cooper set to be granted Australian citizenship, I don’t want my other mate, Will Genia, to miss out on this opportunity.
Quade Cooper’s spectacular Wallabies comeback on the weekend saw the Wallabies defeat the World number 1 team South Africa. This has thrust Quade’s numerous Australian citizenship application refusals into the spotlight. There has been a mountain of support for Quade’s citizenship grant from various people including Kristina Keneally, the shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.
The general residency requirements are found in section 22 of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (the Act) which state that to be eligible for citizenship, the person must not have been outside of Australia for more than 12 months in the previous 4 years and no more than 90 days in the previous 12 months.
The issue for Quade Cooper (and Will Genia) is that they have been recently contracted in Japan for approximately 8 months of the year.
There are special residence requirements (exceptions) found in sections 22A and 22B of the Act for:
- 22A: Persons engaging in activities that are of benefit to Australia; and
- 22B: Persons engaged in particular kinds of work requiring regular travel outside Australia.
Quade has said that he has been refused citizenship under the current wording of the legislation 4 times.
Will Genia has asked me for assistance with his citizenship application to which I have advised him that he does not appear to meet the exceptions based on how they are currently worded.
Today the Minister for Immigration, Alex Hawke, announced that there would be changes to the legislation to allow highly distinguished individuals (such as Quade Cooper) who do not meet the residency requirements, to be granted citizenship.
Whilst this is great news for Quade who is a current Wallaby, I would like to push for any legislative amendments to not just accommodate current national players, but also former national players such as Will Genia.
As a former Queensland Reds Teammate and friend to both Quade and Will, I’d like to see both my mates granted Australian citizenship.
Will first arrived in Australia in 2000, his Mother and 3 siblings have been Australian citizens since 2006, his wife and daughter are Australian citizens, his family home is in Brisbane. With 110 Wallabies caps to his name, how more Australian can you be than to have represented your country?
If Will’s rugby career continues overseas for another 3 years, he may not be eligible for citizenship for at least 7 years.
I’d like to get the message to Minister Alex Hawke that a broad amendment to the residency requirements be made to accommodate people such as Quade AND Will, along the lines of “Has made a significant contribution to Australian society.“
Written by Adam Byrnes, Principal Immigration Lawyer for Visa & Citizenship Lawyers
a week ago
