Bartlett wants dual-citizens to run for parliament

http://www.smh.com.au/news/federal-election-2007-news/rule-change-needed-for-a-richer-democracy/2007/11/14/1194766770505.html

Andrew Bartlett
November 15, 2007

The Australian Democrats have long promoted the principle that we should be looking for every opportunity to encourage greater participation in political and democratic processes. Our constitution contains some unnecessary provisions which make it too difficult for many Australians to run for public office ...

The provision in Section 44(i) prevents Australians who hold dual citizenship from being able to nominate as a candidate for Federal Parliament. Our citizenship laws have allowed dual citizenship for many years now - a very wise move for a nation of migrants where 25 per cent of the population is born overseas - yet we then deny ourselves the potential benefit many of those people could bring to our nation's Parliament by refusing to let them contest elections.