Government 'proposing automatic citizenship loss for terrorists'

Dual nationals who fight for terrorist groups will automatically have their Australian citizenship cancelled under impending government reforms, it's been reported.

The government has chosen to draw on existing powers to cancel the citizenship of dual nationals who side with terrorist groups, The Australian newspaper reported on Monday.

The revised proposal follows advice from the Solicitor-General that the High Court could on constitutional grounds strike down laws that give broad discretion to a federal minister to revoke citizenship.

Under the 1948 Citizenship Act, Australian dual nationals automatically lose their citizenship if they serve in the armed forces of a country at war with Australia.

The Australian says it understands the government will expand the scope of section 35 of the Citizenship Act to include the emergence of non-state enemies such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Under the proposed changes it would be an individual's own conduct, namely fighting with a terrorist group, that would trigger citizenship cancellation, rather than any discretionary act of a minister.