By Christine de Kock
THE Migrant Resource Centre wants the Federal Government to make it clear that the introduction of new citizenship tests will not systematically exclude particular groups from becoming Australians.
The comments come in response to last week’s launch of the discussion paper titled Australian Citizenship: Much more than a ceremony.
The paper suggests that people seeking citizenship should first pass an English language test and an Australian values test.
Andrew Robb, parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, explained the reason for the paper being discussed.
“Australian citizenship is a privilege not a right,” Mr Robb said.
“To take out citizenship, I believe it is critical that immigrants develop English skills which allow them to communicate effectively with their fellow Australians, so they might fully realise the great opportunities available in Australia through jobs and education.”
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Margaret Rutherford executive officers of the St Alban’s based Migrant Resource Centre for the North West Region has questioned the wisdom of the new tests.
“The current process for citizenship application includes a requirement for people to “have a basic understanding of the English Language and an adequate knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of Australian Citizenship,” she said.
“It is important that the motives for the discussion paper and proposed changes are clear and the community needs to be reassured that the test will not be used in such a way as to systematically exclude particular groups.”
She said refugees and family entrants received 510 hours of English training.
“For people who have little or no formal schooling this falls way short of what is required to bring a person to proficiency,” Ms Rutherford added.
She said often refugees could not afford to pay for English classes.
“Many refugees coming to Australia have had to raise loans to pay for their air fares and while learning English is a high priority, gain employment to support themselves and their family in Australia is a greater need.
“The nature of the work they are able to get with low English skills is often low paid casual, on call or contract work which does not allow them the time or the finances to enroll in English lessons.”
Thang Manh Nguyen sub branch president of the Republic of Vietnam RSL said would-be citizens should know something about Australian history and have a basic knowledge of English.
“English is the national language and so they can communicate with other groups and with main stream society, this is my point of view,” he said.
“Vietnamese refugees like myself, we came here, we receive about 10 weeks of basic English training and also had lessons about Australian society- in order to help the new arrivals to be integrated into the mainstream society.
“So that means most Vietnamese refugee are assimilated very well in Australia and they are very keen to learn English and to learn about the new society in Australia and also they try to adapt themselves to the new society and customs.
“Also in our country we have as a proverb, something similar term: When in Rome do as the Romans do.”
Elizabeth Drozd chief executive of the Footscray-based Australian Polish Community Services said mention of the tests reminded her of the White Australia policy.
She was referring to the policies that restricted non-white immigration to Australia, which was ended in 1972 by Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
To submit feedback on the discussion paper visit www.citizenship.gov.au/news/discussion_paper.htm
