Independent Senator Dr Marlene Attzs, in her maiden contribution in the Upper House, centred her analysis on proposed amendments to the country’s citizenship laws, particularly the economic implications and foreign exchange potential.

She welcomed the position of Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Phillip Watts, who framed the amendment as “not administrative housekeeping, but a strategic shift in how citizenship is defined and operationalised in the service of national development.”

Turning to the economic case, Attzs, an economist by training, focused on the potential for foreign exchange earnings, citing figures mentioned by Watts on annual remittance inflows ranging from US$100m-$329m.