You don’t have to swear at the football and eat a pie to be an Australian, but you do have to believe in democracy, the rule of law and the rights and liberties of others…. Where we have reason to believe that people are not truthfully or honestly meeting that test, we have every right to deny them citizenship, or if by subsequent conduct they show that they don’t meet the test, then we could invite them to forfeit their Australian citizenship.

- from Peter Costello’s infamous Islamophobic address to the Sydney Institute, 23.2.06 (source: AM, ABC Radio)

Which brings us to the case of Tony Labbozzetta, as reported in today’s Sun Herald.
Labbozzetta, best-known as the controversial former chairman of the Australian Soccer Federation and of the wealthy Marconi Club. An Australian resident for many years, he retains his Italian citizenship, and under new Italian electoral laws, expats can stand as candidates in the next election, being held on April 9 and 10.
Labbozzetta is running as a member of Fiamma Tricolore, a political party politely described as “neo-fascist”. Anti-semitism, anti-immigration and other racist policies appear to be part of the MSFT (Movimento Sociale-Fiamme Tricolore)’s platform. They are, however, highly unlikely to do well at next week’s elections, with support running at about 1 per cent. Labbozzetta is listed here on the MSFT’s list of overseas candidates for the Senate.

Does this mean that Tony Labbozzetta should be deported to Italy for espousing un-Australian values?