Labor Defends Citizenship Ceremonies as Coalition Alleges Political Motives

Tony Burke insists citizenship events address backlogs, rejecting accusations from Peter Dutton of election-focused fast-tracking.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke has organized additional citizenship ceremonies nationwide to reduce a significant backlog of over 50,000 eligible applicants awaiting citizenship pledges.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Deputy Leader Sussan Ley have accused Labor of using these ceremonies to influence voting in marginal seats ahead of the federal election.
Burke has denied any political motivations, stating the ceremonies are spread across the country and aimed at addressing delays caused by insufficient local council events.
Concerns raised by Dutton about security checks and fast-tracking were dismissed by Burke, who emphasized that all applicants had been fully processed and cleared under existing laws.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed the ceremonies are being held in major cities and regional areas, with no evidence supporting claims of targeting specific voter demographics.