Automatic citizenship for review

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday confirmed the matter had been looked at by officials and should be further considered.

She said there had been a recent tendency for people to come to New Zealand to gain citizenship through their babies.

"So we need to consider whether there needs to be a response."

Internal Affairs Minister George Hawkins also confirmed yesterday that the citizenship-by-birth issue was being worked on by a number of government agencies.

Mr Hawkins stressed there had been no decisions made, and the new Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill to be introduced this month would not contain any reference to citizenship-by-birth issues.

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