Heritage lost and gained

I have read with interest the very informative focus (March 4) regarding the Maltese born in Australia who had to choose between Australian and Maltese citizenship when they were 18 years of age and how they may now be given a second chance to become Aussies again.

I would like to add that Maltese Welfare of NSW Australia is the only Maltese organisation that has in fact been asked to appear twice as witnesses before the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee, once at Parliament House in Sydney on July 27, 2004 and on February 6, 2006 at Federal Parliament in Canberra.

On both occasions, as the president of the Maltese Welfare (NSW) Inc., I was given the unique opportunity to militate in person for the plight of the Australian-Maltese who renounced their Australian citizenship on their 19th birthday and who are now requesting the right to reclaim it for themselves and their children.

Maltese Welfare (NSW) has been working closely with Southern Group, a support organisation for the Australian Diaspora based in Brussels. Over the years, we have come to admire the very effective and professional way they go about their advocacy.

The Australian-Maltese can rest assured that their case was well represented and any positive results that will flow from this inquiry are the result of the very few (apart from those directly involved) that have shown interest in this inquiry.