Tuesday Dec 12
A new citizenship test for migrants is not a step towards reintroducing a racially discriminatory immigration policy, Prime Minister John Howard says.
Mr Howard has announced migrants wanting to become Australian citizens will need to sit English exams and pass multiple-choice tests on Australian society.
The 30 test questions, drawn from a pool of 200, will cover topics such as history, system of government, sporting traditions and mateship.
But the election-year policy, announced a year to the day after racial violence exploded at Sydney’s Cronulla beach, already faces opposition from moderates on the government’s backbench.
Mr Howard insisted there was a need for the test.
”I think there is a view in the Australian community, a very strong view, that we need a greater emphasis on the things that unite us rather than the things that make us different,” he told ABC radio.
”By all means, respect cultural and ethnic diversity.
”We will retain a non-discriminatory immigration policy. We will not be discriminating on the basis of race or ethnicity or nationality when choosing new migrants.”
Liberal MP Petro Georgiou says the citizenship test requirements create unreasonable barriers to citizenship.
The test could prevent people who would make a wonderful contribution to Australia from becoming citizens, he said.
”The upshot of the proposals may very well be that successful settlement of immigrants into Australia is undermined rather than enhanced,” he said.
Legislation outlining the new rules is expected to be introduced to parliament next year.
The government’s majority in the lower house means the legislation will still pass if Mr Georgiou crosses the floor and votes against it, but his criticism could encourage other coalition MPs to speak out.
Labor and the Greens have already voiced their opposition to the plan.
Earlier this year, Mr Georgiou was one of three coalition backbenchers who voted against immigration law changes that would have sent all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat offshore for processing.
Prime Minister John Howard later withdrew the bill, acknowledging it did not have the support to pass the upper house.
Mr Georgiou said he looked forward to a rigorous parliamentary debate on the new immigration plan.
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