07:10The Nick Xenophon Team has derailed the immigration minister Peter Dutton’s attempt to enact tough new citizenship laws, saying it cannot support his controversial package in its current form. Labor, the Greens and NXT are enough to sink the package in the Senate, meaning the Turnbull government will have to dump the citizenship bill altogether or make substantial changes. It comes hours before a parliamentary committee report is expected to recommend the government weaken elements of its citizenship bill, including watering down its proposed English language requirements for people seeking Australian citizenship. NXT senator Stirling Griff warned in June that he was “deeply worried” about the power the bill would give Dutton to overrule citizenship decisions by the AAT. On Monday Nick Xenophon told the Conversation that he had “serious concerns” about the legislation in its current form.

Source: The Guardian September 04, 2017 21:55 UTC