Legality and Illegality: The Issue of Non-citizens in Australia

The status of citizen and how it is defined, re-defined, achieved, or denied are important indicators for analysing any society. They are particularly important in societies which are multi-ethnic. The prevailing ideology in Australia is one of multiculturalism. An understanding of who is an Australian or an Australian citizen is basic to any assessment of the penetration of that ideology. The paper examines the issue of non-citizens in Australia by discussing four main points. 1. Defining the non-citizen in Australian terms. 2. Examining the differences between the non-citizen and the prohibited non-citizen. 3. Exploring the process of becoming a prohibited non- citizen. 4. Discussing the economic, personal and social consequences of being a prohibited non-citizen.