This background note focuses on citizenship within the context of Commonwealth legislation and does not attempt an analysis of the meaning of Australian citizenship or different theories of citizenship. Image: billh18 / Flickr

This Background Note focuses on citizenship within the context of Commonwealth legislation and does not attempt an analysis of the meaning of Australian citizenship or different theories of citizenship.

On 22 July 2005, the Migration Amendment Regulations 2005 came into force, prescribing a number of islands as 'excised offshore places'. Moira Coombs describes the excision process and its legal implications, and provides a map showing excised areas and a chronology of related events.

One of the strategies the Australian government has put in place since 2001 for dealing with the arrival of unauthorised people by boat is the excision of islands around northern Australia from the migration zone. The government claims this deters people from making the trip...

Australia was the first country to recognise the right to conscientious objection to military service in legislation as part of the Defence Act 1903. Recognition has developed from objections based on religious belief to more secular philosophical and ethical convictions and has developed in Australia...