Migrants who want to become Australian citizens have to pass a Citizenship test. According to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, the test is “designed to assess whether you have an adequate knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship. The test is also designed to assess whether you have a basic knowledge of the English language.”
The following are some of the questions asked.
Which of these is a role of the Governor-General?
- The appointment of state premiers
- The signing of Bills passed by the Australian Parliament
- The appointment of the Head of State
Which of these statements about state governments is correct?
- All states have the same constitution
- Each state has its own constitution
- The states have no constitution
What is the name given to the party or coalition of parties with the second largest number of members in the House of Representatives?
- The Government
- The Opposition
- The Senate
What is the name of a proposal to make a law in parliament?
- Royal Assent
- Bill
- Debate
Which arm of government has the power to interpret and apply laws?
- Legislative
- Executive
- Judicial
Which of these statements about government in Australia is correct?
- The government does not allow some religions
- Government in Australia is secular
- Religious laws are passed by parliament
To me, these questions have nothing to do with citizenship and could hardly be called a test of basic knowledge of the English language.
They tell us nothing about the character or behaviour of an individual or the contribution they make to society which is surely more important than their knowledge of our Constitution.
You cannot judge how good a citizen someone is or will be by the results of such a test any more than you can judge it by the clothes they wear, the church they do or don’t attend, the food they eat, or the colour of their skin.
