2016] The Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness in Australia 505 V I C O N C LU S I O N In this article, we have undertaken a detailed examination of Australia’s compliance with the 1961 Convention. As we have established, despite relatively early ratification and a recently renewed commitment by Australia to ‘minimis[e] the incidence of statelessness’,304 Australian law fails to fully implement its international obligations both in terms of laws determining acquisition and those permitting deprivation of citizenship. Our analysis focused on laws relating to the deliberate deprivation and constructive renunciation of citizenship, as well as more latent barriers to nationality, such as birth registration. A major finding is that despite apparent assumptions to the contrary, recent amendments to the Citizenship Act have in fact created new risks of statelessness. Just as is the case in relation to the identification and protection of stateless persons pursuant to the 1954 Convention, Australia remains a long way from giving effect to the pledge it made six years ago to minimise the occurrence of statelessness and to improve the lives of stateless persons in Australia. The predicament of stateless persons in Australia has historically been overlooked and under-researched. It is hoped that the research presented in this article, together with its companion piece, may contribute to a greater awareness and interest in this important issue. 304 UNHCR, Pledges 2011, above n 63, 49.

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