5 yr old Tania Singhfights to be an Aussie

[nanosecond]

Tania fights to be an Aussie

MATTHEW HORAN

31aug03

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl born in Australia whose parents are seeking refugee status will be the subject of a High Court challenge arguing children born in Australia are citizens.

The landmark case has implications for thousands of children born in Australia to asylum-seeker parents.

Tania Singh was born in Sydney, speaks with an Australian accent and thinks Brett Lee is the best cricketer in the world.

But she faces being deported to India – a country she has never visited and none of whose languages she speaks – if her parents' application for refugee status is turned down.

Tania and her family will go to Canberra tomorrow to sit in the High Court before Justice Michael Kirby.

The Citizenship Act says the children of non-residents born in Australia can become citizens only if they live in Australia until they are 10 year.

Tania's barrister, Bruce Levet, who took Tania's case for free after being approached by a refugee organisation, will argue that the Act is unlawful and that Tania acquired either Australian citizenship or nationality – two slightly different concepts under law – because of her birth.

Mr Levet will also argue that part of the Citizenship Act is unlawful because the Constitution does not give the Federal Government the power to determine that children born in Australia are not nationals.

If Tania's case is successful she will be able to stay in kindergarten with her best friends.

"Australia is t

he best place," she said as she played with her teddy bear in a room filled with pictures of fast bowlers Lee and Glenn McGrath.

"I like Brett Lee because he is the best cricketer."

Tania's father Malkit, 34, fled India in 1997 after years of persecution because of his Sikh religion.

"My father was murdered, burned alive in his shop, during the riots when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards," he said.

The Singh family entered Australia on a business visa bought in Delhi which turned out to be false. Tania was born about a year after the family entered Australia.

"She is an Australian girl," said her mother, Sarabjeet, who was a teacher of English in schools in India.

If Tania's case is successful, she will be allowed to stay in Australia even if her parents and brother are deported, or will be allowed to return at any time. Her parents could also apply to stay with her on a family reunion visa

http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/commo...255E903,00.html

[S1ngh]

hell yeah she is australian.. I think US would never send the kid back (deport).. but they will hand it to state run nursery.. and stuff ! she looks soo cute.. may god help her !!

They should have filed Asylum case.. but too late

[Guest balwinderkaur]

hm poor girl....facing the risk of being separated. tsk tsk tsk. but hey i was wondering..whyz she called singh instead of kaur?????one of my friends has singh as her suffix too. hmmm it baffles me how some girls are given the suffix singh instead of kaur. :umm:

[Balait_da_Sher]

I think most sikh kuriyans with Western forename have SINGH as their lastname. I knew a Susan Singh.

But on the other hand parents with just one child ( a girl ) tend to treat her as their boy.

[Mukh Har Har Har Boleeia]

Tania fights to be an Aussie

MATTHEW HORAN

31aug03

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl born in Australia whose parents are seeking refugee status will be the subject of a High Court challenge arguing children born in Australia are citizens.

....................................... Mod Edited : No point in requoting the entire post when people can read it at the top

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If Tania's case is successful, she will be allowed to stay in Australia even if her parents and brother are deported, or will be allowed to return at any time. Her parents could also apply to stay with her on a family reunion visa

http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/commo...255E903,00.html

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Man bruddas She is an aussie if shes born der.......well i am aussie to........well kinda more punjabi an more Singh :nihungsmile:

[Guest SikhForLife]

whyz she called singh instead of kaur?????one of my friends has singh as her suffix too. hmmm it baffles me how some girls are given the suffix singh instead of kaur

wat difference does it make.. we r equal.. rite?

heck i dont mind having kaur as my last name..

besides.. kaur means prince anyway!