With all the fuss in the US you might be wondering about birthright citizenship in Australia. Are you a citizen if you were born here?

That was removed in 1986 (Labor government). Because someone dared use it in 1985's Kioa v West; and that a baby born to Tongan parents could be Australian upset both the pearl clutchers and the racists.

We're now a 'right of blood' country. And if that sounds a little 1930's to you, that wouldn't be wrong.

Practically it's also a major pain in the arse for people born after 1986. Once upon a time a birth certificate was proof of citizenship. Now you can be trawling for identity documents of grandparents.

#australia #auspol