Southern Cross News

Occasional NewsletterNo. 1 of 2007, 20September 2007

In this Issue
Federal Election
New Citizenship Law
Changes to SCG's Lists
New Social Security Agreements
Tax Office Website
Are You an Australian Resident for Tax Purposes?
New Australian Citizenship Test


A Welcome from the Editor

This is the first of our occasional newsletters that we plan to issue on matters that will be of general interest to Australian expatriates globally and those who follow Australian diaspora issues.

Future issues of this newsletter will not be sent automatically to the media in Australia. If you are within that group and wish to receive future newsletters like this one, please use the Update Profile link at the bottom of this e-mail to sign yourself up to all SCG communications, as opposed to just SCG media releases.

We expect to concentrate on matters that are covered on the websites of Australian Federal and State Governments and in some of the non-political media releases by Ministers and Government agencies. From time to time we may also have information from Australian and non-Australian non-government sources.

We will continue to issue one-topic SCG media releases and specific E-Bulletins on our core issues separately to this newsletter.

In the main, our approach with this newsletter will be to provide a brief summary of the matter concerned with links to help you find out more if the subject interests you.

Your feedback is welcomed and encouraged. If you have ideas and suggestions for matters that might be covered in future newsletters, please let us know.




John (Sid) MacGregor
Editor
Canberra and Brussels
editor@southern-cross-group.org


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Thank-You to our Sponsor Australiana Online


The Southern Cross Group is pleased to thank Australiana Online, our sponsor for this issue. Australiana Online is an Australian-owned and run web-based business which sells only Australian-made products and ships internationally.

Whether it be Australian food, soft toys, books, DVDs, art work, music or toys, Australiana Online should be your number one online shopping destination this Christmas.

Would your business like to sponsor future editions of this newsletter? Sponsorship is essential to enable the SCG to keep serving the Australian Diaspora. The SCG is entirely volunteer-run and has no paid staff. Sponsorship and donations help offset overheads such as web-hosting fees, postage, stationery, and other sundry outlays. Contact us for further information at info@southern-cross-group.org
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Australian Federal Election Looms

Is Your Electoral Enrolment Organised?

The Australian federal election announcement is now probably only a matter of a few days away. Make sure you get your electoral enrolment organised with the Australian Electoral Commission now. You must be on the electoral roll in order to vote.

2006 amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 mean that the electoral rolls will close virtually immediately the election is called. The former seven-day grace period for enrolling from scratch and updating existing enrolment details after the election is announced is gone.

Those with addresses in NSW, Queensland and the ACT should note that due to redistributions there have been many changes to Divisional boundaries since the last election. You should check whether you are affected. AEC maps may be seen here.

Don't wait until the election is called to get your enrolment in order with the AEC. It could well be too late and you might end up unable to vote in the election.

Do You Still Have the Right to Vote?

We estimate that some 500,000 Australian citizens abroad of voting age are currently disenfranchised by Australian law.

Read the SCG's guidance document entitled What You Need to Know About Voting in Australia While You Live Overseas for the full story - A4 version, US letter size version.

It is not compulsory to vote if you are outside Australia on election day, but if you are enrolled and you do not vote, your enrolment may be cancelled, and that may result in disenfranchisement for the rest of the period you remain abroad due to the three-year enrolment limitation in the law mentioned above. So use it, or lose it!

The AEC also has various e-mail updates you may be interesting in subscribing to.
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It's All Go on Australian Citizenship!

Thousands of people have been contacting the SCG in recent months about Australian citizenship. Although we're almost drowning in e-mails, it is wonderful that so many people are now able to benefit from the new legislation.

The operative provisions of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 finally entered into force on 1 July. The Act contains a number of important fixes for families in the Australian diaspora, and is the fruition of seven years of lobbying work by the SCG. An estimated 100,000 individuals outside Australian now newly qualify to apply for Australian citizenship.

We're pleased to report that a number of people who lodged their Australian citizenship by descent applications promptly on Monday 2 July or just afterwards have already received their citizenship certificates and are happy Australian citizens. Applications for the resumption of Australian citizenship and citizenship by conferral are taking longer because they are all sent to Australia by the overseas posts for decision-making. Some individuals in Malta who applied for resumption in July are now Australian citizens again.

A number of anxious SCG hopefuls presented themselves at Australia House in the Strand in London at 9.30 am on Monday 2 July to be first through the door on the big first day of lodgement. They were well looked after by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship officers who work in the London centre.

Special thanks must go to UK-based SCG volunteer Eric Brown, who spent an intensive period before 2 July assisting potential applicants so that they would be ready to file as soon as the Act entered into force.

Wondering if the new Citizenship Act helps you or a family member? Check out our website, or e-mail us at info@southern-cross-group.org.

See also our special pages for Australian war brides in the US and their children.

The Australian Government's official citizenship website also has essential information.
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Changes to our E-Mail Database - Please Update Your Details

Over recent months we have been undertaking a major revamp of our address database as we moved from one software provider to another. We took the opportunity to significantly change the nature of the information we seek to keep on those who sign up with us.

The range of information we would like to have about you can be seen by using the Update Profile link at the foot of this newsletter. Please note that the only obligatory fields for new subscribers are:
E-mail address
Given name
Family name/Surname
Current City/Town of Residence
From time to time we send out e-mail alerts on subjects of particular interest to those in some of the sub-groups on the list. So that we can better target this information to those for whom it is most relevant, it assists us if we also know your:
Country of Current Residence
State or Province (if outside US/Canada) OR US or Canadian State or Province
Aust State/Territory of Closest Connection
The State or Territory of closest connection you choose to nominate will be dictated by a number of factors, for example - former home, relatives live there, property holdings, plans for return to Australia, electoral roll, etc.

Converting the data of those who joined our list in the seven years prior to 1 June 2007 was a complex task and we may not have always got it right. For this reason we encourage you to take a few minutes to review the information we have in the system about you. Please update and amend it as necessary. Use the Update Profile link at the end of this e-mail.

The information that you provide is protected by the privacy policy displayed on the SCG website.

You may unsubscribe yourself from some or all of our communications at any time using the link at the end of ths e-mail.
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New International Social Security Agreements

In recent months Australia has signed new international social security agreements with:
Greece
Switzerland
Korea
Germany
Japan
Detailed information about each of these agreements can be found on the website of the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Australia already has bilateral social security agreements with 18 countries.

Such agreements are good news for people who spend parts of their working life in different countries. For more information, click here.
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Australian Taxation Office

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) maintains an extensive and informative website. It covers all forms of Australian federal taxes and many matters to do with superannuation.

The ATO website can be a daunting experience for the first time user. Some knowledge of tax terminology can be a big advantage. New information or changes to previously posted information arise almost daily.

Needless to say, there is much within the site that has an impact on Australian expatriates and we will endeavour to identify relevant material as we become aware of it. But don't wait for us to catch up with your information needs - try the site for yourself.
A WORD OF WARNING

The application of tax law, policy and procedures is a very complicated matter in any country and Australia is no exception. Many expats will be grappling with tax in two or more countries and probably at several levels of government.

All we are seeking to do in this and subsequent issues of our newsletter is to make you aware of some of the matters that may affect you. It is a matter for you to do your own research and make your own decisions about the issues. We are not qualified or competent to provide personal advice on the tax matters we identify, nor are we able to respond to any queries you may have.

If you are unclear about your tax situation, you should seek the assistance of a competent tax adviser, perhaps both in Australia and in your country of residence.

You may also seek advice direct from the ATO by phone or via the ATO website.
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Are You An Australian Resident for Tax Purposes ?

Whether or not you are an Australian resident for Australian tax purposes is an important question to be answered by recent expats and one to be considered in advance by those planning a return to Australia.

Having cosidered that issue, you may then need to find out whether Australia has a tax treaty (double taxation agreement) with your country of residence, and if so how it works.

The following links will provide you with a primary reading list. On some pages you will need to check through the table of contents on the right of your screen.

Residency

An Overview Certificates of Residency or Status





International Tax Essentials

The ATO guide to International Tax Essentials

While prepared for "tax professionals" and with a lot of information related to company issues, it nevertheless contains a wealth of information that will be of value to expats and intending expats. You may have to do a bit of mining in the many topics covered to find the nuggets of valuable information applicable to you.



Australia's Taxation Treaties (Double Tax Agreements)

Australia currently has double tax agreements with over 40 countries

Overview



Taxation Ruling - TR 2001/13

Income tax: - Interpreting Australia's Double Tax Agreements

See the printable version of this extensive ruling (127 paragraphs plus footnotes).


Australian Treasury information on tax treaties

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Information on the New Australian Citizenship Test

Before you read this article please understand that the new citizenship test will primarily apply to migrants living in Australia seeking Australian citizenship via the naturalisation route. It has no application to those people who are now able to apply for resumption of citizenship or citizenship by descent under the provisions of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. Further, people applying for citizenship by conferral under Section 21(6) of the new Act are not required to pass the new citizenship test.

The Australian Citizenship Amendment Bill (Citizenship Testing) 2007 was passed by the Senate on 10 September 2007 with some Government amendments. The original Bill was passed by the House of Representatives on 8 August. The HoR subsequently agreed to the Senate amendments.

Its purpose is to introduce a compulsory citizenship test for those who are seeking to become Australian citizens by naturalisation or what is known in the new Act as "conferral", that is, migrants who have served the necessary residential qualifying period in Australia. The test will be applied from 1 October 2007.

Earlier the Minister invited comments on the draft book. The SCG decided that it would not make any formal comments to the Minister.
The final version of the book was launched by the Minister on Citizenship Day, 17 September. A downloadable version of the full book is available or as part files.

The test will be comprised of 20 questions drawn from the resource book.
For more information, see www.citizenship.gov.au.

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The Australians Abroad Website

Over several years the SCG has maintained a cooperative relationship with the New York based Australians Abroad website which was founded in 1996 to provide a centralised internet resource for Australians living overseas. The website is an important social forum for expat Aussies.
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Spread the Word

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to someone you think will be interested. Clubs and other organisations receiving the Newsletter are also authorised to forward it to those on their mailing list. All we ask is that it be transmitted in full.

Should you wish to reproduce only part of the Newsletter we ask that you acknowledge the source and include our website address.
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Read our Book of Aussies Expat Stories!


Our million-strong Australian diaspora is today as diverse as Australia's resident population. In 2003 in partnership with Global Exchange we published a book in which a number of expat Aussies from around the globe told their stories of life away from the Island Continent. Their tales will amuse and move you.

For more information, and to place your order, see our website.

Many stories which could not be fitted into the book are published on our website.
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The Vegemite Tales

After last year's very successful West End season (Evening Standard Critic's Choice) the Aussie answer to "Friends" hit London again on 26 July this year. Joining last year's star Blair McDonough is another popular Neighbours face - Jonathon Dutton. It's a fantastic night out and well worth supporting. Get a group together and book now.



Sam's thinking about going home... Maddie's thinking about Dan... Dan's thinking with the wrong head... and Eddie's not really thinking at all... Gemma's facing the biggest decision of her stay in London... and Jane just wants the toilet bowl to be clean...



WIN FLIGHTS TO AUSTRALIA! Come to the show and enter the competition to win return flights for two to Sydney.



The Vegemite Tales

The Venue Theatre

Leicester Square
(5 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BP)



26 Jul - 27 Oct 2007
Mon-Sat 8pm, Sat Matinee 3pm
Tickets: £25, Mondays £20, Matinees £15, Groups discounts available

Box office: 0870 899 3335 or seetickets.com

www.thevegemitetales.com

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SCG Contact Information
Newsletter Editor: John MacGregor editor@southern-cross-group.org Europe: Anne MacGregor anne@southern-cross-group.org United Kingdom: Eric Brown eric@southern-cross-group.org North America: Robyn Stephenson robyn@southern-cross-group.org Asia: Ed Smith ed@southern-cross-group.org Australia: Jacqui Mowbray jaqui@southern-cross-group.org

The Contact Us pages on our site lists the SCG volunteer nearest you.
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