| A Testing Time for Australian Citizenship |
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Bill Haebich In September 2006 the Federal Government published a 31 page discussion paper entitled Australian Citizenship: Much more than a ceremony. The paper proposed that, in future, as part of attaining citizenship, a person would have to pass a formal test. This test would replace the interview that is currently used. Sixty percent of the 1,644 written responses from the public supported a test. On 11th December the Prime Minister announced that the Australian Government would introduce one. Much more than a ceremony does not provide any specific test questions but raises some topics that could be covered. The current interview examines the person’s understanding of the nature of their application, their knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship, and their knowledge of simple English.The intent of the formal test appears to be to establish a more rigorous assessment of “responsibilities and privileges”, including other knowledge about Australia; to raise the level of English needed and to add a requirement that the applicant understands “some common values”. “Other knowledge” includes Australian history, culture, traditions, national symbols, laws and our system of democracy. The level of English would allow “them to participate (in society) through education and employment”. Common values could include our approach to freedom, democracy, the rule of law, equality of men and women, a fair go and compassion for those in need. The test would be computer-based whereby a fixed number of questions would be selected randomly from a larger pool. Exemptions may be available, to the elderly, to those with permanent physical or mental incapacity, and to those who are illiterate. The government already provides support for migrants to learn English and to learn about Australian society. Legislation establishing the test was introduced on 30th May and will come into force on September 17th. The questions will be drawn from a citizenship study guide entitled The Australian Way of Life. The guide has not been published at the time of writing but extracts are likely to appear in the press soon. Are these proposals a significant change? Australian citizenship was created by an act of parliament in 1949. Prior to that, non-aboriginal people born in Australia were classed as British subjects. A bill passed in March doubled the eligibility period of residence in Australia, before being able to apply for citizenship and relaxed the constraints on dual citizenship This and the citizenship test are the first changes to the legislation that have significantly raised the bar for applicants Why make the change? The discussion paper offers economic and social reasons and points to the need for more immigration in the face of an ageing population. It quotes research connecting English ability to employment outcomes and asserts that a citizenship test would “maximise the employment and other economic opportunities …”. On the social side, it says that an understanding of the Australian way of life a practical command of English will better equip migrant and refugee settlers to build new social links and make a meaningful commitment to Australia. There is no reference to any perceived deficiencies with the current regime. Government ministers had been signaling their desire to tighten citizenship requirements well before the release of the discussion paper. Brendan Nelson, John Howard and Peter Costello were each quoted in The Age in August 2005 linking the Muslim community with a lack of Australian values. Peter Costello expanded on this theme and called for applicants’ values to be assessed in a speech to the Sydney Institute in February 2006. What has been the reaction to the test? Kevin Rudd has said that he was not opposed to the idea but would want more details before he would be ready to endorse it Petro Georgiou, the liberal member for Kooyong, has rejected the test on the grounds that the proposal assumes, without evidence, that many migrants are unmotivated or resistant to learning English and that the threat of denial of citizenship is an appropriate and effective spur to get them to study harder. He writes that it cannot be in the interest of cohesion and integration to impose new barriers to citizenship that would have prevented its acquisition by so many Australians who have proven to be model citizens. The Greens do not support the test. They don’t believe that it would achieve the goals stated by the government and they don’t see that these goals are worthwhile anyway, given that the existing process works well. The Democrats say that the test would be both unfair and counter-productive. If the test is to help immigrants to better cope in society, then, as Petro Georgiou says, it does not really help to coerce them with a formal barrier. Many people are more suited to learning by apprenticeship than by exam. If the test is intended to filter out undesirables then any determined terrorist, misogynist or fascist could study and lie to pass. How, in any case, can a set of desirable attitudes be specified when there is such a wide variation of views amongst Australians themselves? If the test is supposed to define what it means to be Australian then all native born Australians should get close to 100% on the test, without preparation. The Democrats suggest that it should be applied to everyone. What then would happen to the Australians who failed? Nationality is almost as difficult to define as race, a concept that has no objective basis. It seems that the test would serve no useful purpose and may deter potentially valuable citizens. Is it just an attempt to gain votes from a frightened public? Author, Bill Haebich Sources Australian Citizenship: Much more than a ceremony, Discussion paper, Consideration of the merits of introducing a formal citizenship test Summary Report on the Outcomes of the Public Consultation on the Merits of Introducing a Formal Citizenship Test Links to responses from institutions, as opposed to individuals may be found on Summary of changes to legislation Australian Citizenship Bill 2006 Australian Citizenship...A Common Bond, Government Response to the Report of the Australian Citizenship Council May 2001 Accept Australian values or get out, The Age, Michelle Grattan, August 25, 2005 Address To The Sydney Institute: Worth Promoting, Worth Defending Australian Citizenship, What It Means And How To Nurture It, Peter Costello, 23 February 2006 Citizenship test would diminish Australia, Petro Georgiou, ABC News Online, 16th March 2007 Democrats, Greens question motives behind citizenship test, ABC News Online, 12th December 2006 Robbs Proposed Citizenship Test: Will There Be A Genuine Test For All Australians, Or Is It Just Another Blow On The Dog Whistle, Senator Andrew Bartlett, Australian Democrats Press Releases, 2nd May 2006 Dual Citizenship in Australia A new lease of life for White Australia Citizen test to quiz on history |
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