Australian man battles for five years to prove his citizenship

An Australian has won an almost five year long legal battle against a Home Affairs’ attempt to remove his citizenship, after it wrongly claimed he was Papua New Guinean.

An Australian citizenship recipient holds his certificate during a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day. Source: AAP

The landmark judgement recommended he be given a rare ex-gratia payment for the economic and emotional toll and has potential implications for many Australians born in PNG before independence.