Government of the

Principality of Hutt River
www.principality-hutt-river.org/gov

“BEFORE a Treaty between The Principality of Hutt River and the Commonwealth of Australia can be considered, the issue of lapsed citizenship for Australians born before January 1st 1949 must be dealt with”, the Principality’s Head of State, HRH Prince Leonard said this week.

 Prince Leonard was speaking at the launch of Hutt River’s latest coin, the “2007 LWF Coin Issue”. 

“When Great Britain promulgated the British Nationality Act 1948 effective from January 1, 1949, citizenship was removed from all people of the British Colonies, including Australia, making them stateless persons”, Prince Leonard said.

“The Australian Parliament compounded the error by passing the Australian Citizenship Act 1948, which stipulated that all persons born in Australia after and including January 26, 1949, from then had Australian citizenship, this left some eight million people born prior to January 26 1949 without citizenship”, he said.

 “In 1973 the Australian Parliament amended the Australian Citizenship Act and removed all reference to “Britishness”.  Anyone born before January 26, 1949 became a stateless person, including the present Prime Minister and Governor General”, he said.

 “This means that no Treaty signed by a stateless person could be legally held to be binding on the People of Australia”, Prince Leonard said.

 “It is worthy to consider that all those who went to war for Australia and on their return were generally cheered as conquering heroes – some of them died, many have died since, others are still alive – were rewarded by the removal of their citizenship”, Prince Leonard said. 

“I feel strongly about this.  I know many who fought for their country, Australia, I was there with them”.

 Prince Leonard said he issued the new coin issue in their memory as the LWF coin – ‘Lest We Forget’.

 He believed this was the greatest insult to be perpetrated and perpetuated by a Government on its people.  “One’s greatest enemy may be at home”, he said.

 Prince Leonard called for an apology to be made by the Sovereign and for the situation to be rectified.

 “We would be willing to meet whoever has lawful authority to assist to resolve all matters whereby a lawful treaty might be effected”, he said.

HRH Prince Leonard
Sovereign
Principality of Hutt River
August 27th 2007

Contact HRH Prince Leonard:
 huttriver@principality-hutt-river.com