smh.com.au : nouvelle loi sur l’immigration

New citizens face test on 200 questions

Mark Metherell and Tim Dick
December 12, 2006
Page 1 of 2 | Single page

MIGRANTS seeking citizenship will need a grasp of up to 200 questions about Australia under the proposed new nationality test – and to answer them in English.

But the Liberal MP Petro Georgiou signalled last night that he would oppose the Government’s legislation. « I’m concerned that the tightening of the requirements will create unreasonable barriers to the acquisition of citizenship and that it will prevent people who would make a wonderful contribution to Australia from becoming citizens, » he said.

The Prime Minister rushed out the broad details of the test yesterday in a move to wrest the spotlight from the new Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd. The test will require answers to about 30 multiple-choice questions selected randomly from a secret list of 200 questions.

« It is designed not as some kind of Trivial Pursuit, but is designed to ensure that people do understand and have a working capacity in the national language, which is English, » John Howard said yesterday.

Mr Georgiou said the test could undermine rather than enhance the settlement of newcomers. But Mr Howard said he did not expect it would change the profile of people settling in Australia « very much at all ». « This is not a negative discriminatory test. This is a test that affirms the desirability of more fully integrating newcomers into the mainstream of Australian society. »

The Government has refused to give examples of questions, which will be based on material already provided to applicants.

The course material was still to be « worked up », said the parliamentary Secretary for Immigration, Andrew Robb.

The test will be on computer, and applicants will be expected to understand and respond in English to oral questions when registering for the test.

Mr Robb said citizenship applicants would need to study « Let’s Participate: A Course in Australian Citizenship », a syllabus based on the current citizenship introductory course, and other relevant materials.

All applicants would have to sign a statement that they understood the values of Australian society, including respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, sexual equality, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, parliamentary democracy and « a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, fair play and compassion for those in need ».

Mr Rudd wanted more information on the questions. « I think it’s fair we make an assessment about whether these are reasonable and useful questions … I’m not about to buy sight unseen. »