Many believe there are more Maltese living abroad than in Malta, and several still take great interest in local issues. Maltese-Australian Lawrence Dimech spoke to Sarah Carabott about current issues of interest for Maltese expats.

Allowing Maltese citizens abroad to participate in local elections could cost communities overseas the current bond that has not yet been split by partisan politics, according to Lawrence Dimech.

The issue of distance voting often comes up in local discussions with the onset of European Parliament elections or US elections, which allow American expats to vote from abroad. It is also one of the issues that features in the discussions of Maltese communities abroad.

As things stand, someone with a right to vote in Maltese elections is not able to participate if he is on holiday in Australia at the time.

However, Mr Dimech would be able to vote at the Australian High Commission in Malta if he were on the island for the Australian elections.

Speaking as a senior member of the Maltese community in Australia and former People of Australia ambassador, Mr Dimech sees no harm in distance voting for those enrolled with the Electoral Commission, including those living between Malta and elsewhere.

However, he believes that opening distance voting up to all Maltese citizens abroad would complicate matters, especially since Malta’s elections are usually decided by a few hundred votes.

Allowing all Maltese citizens abroad to vote would also come at a financial cost to political parties, as they would have to campaign abroad to attract votes.

“But what worries me the most is that if emigrants are allowed to participate, partisan politics will be imposed on Maltese communities abroad.

“But while we do fight for our rights, we have to ultimately think about what’s best for our country”

“In Australia we all have our political differences, but there is no rivalry, and introducing the right to vote, even if only for EU elections, would split up the community.

“It is true that some Maltese emigrants have property and money invested in Malta, so they will be affected by whoever’s in government, but while we do fight for our rights, we have to ultimately think about what’s best for our country.”

Born in Ħamrun, Mr Dimech has lived in Sydney for the past 62 years and has served as the Maltese government’s representative in New South Wales, migration attaché, consul and first consul general in NSW. He currently sits on the Council for Maltese Living Abroad.

He was also a founder of the Maltese Herald, the former Maltese weekly newspaper in Australia, and currently co-edits the Voice of the Maltese.

Talking to this newspaper during his latest annual visit, he reminisces about the 45-year fight for dual citizenship, which Maltese emigrants were initially told was impossible.

His visit coincides with the launch of the Consul on the Move programme, an initiative the council has been discussing with the Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Ministries for the last eight years.

Mr Dimech said the introduction of biometric passports for Maltese citizens nearly a decade ago had created an inconvenience and added expenses for Maltese citizens who have to travel to an embassy or a consular office to change or renew their passport.

He noted that every year there are some 3,000 applications for a biometric passport by Maltese citizens abroad.

“For someone from Perth, it would take five hours by plane to reach Canberra, for example. We were in a situation where we finally had dual citizenship but were going to end up without a passport unless we paid a fortune to cover flights and accommodation.”

This inconvenience saw the creation of the Consul on the Move: as of this summer, the consular office will be travelling to the people instead of vice versa.

Consular services such as the collection of biometric passport applications will be provided in localities with no Maltese embassies or consular posts.

Five units around the world – based in Canberra, London, Rome, Toronto and Washington –  will visit particular towns according to demand.

For more information about Consul on the Move, visit its website.