Go one further,

Utilising an immigratin officer, review them after 2 years and if they are deemed to not have taken positive steps in integrating or participating with Australian Society and the values we uphold, we give them 3 months to rectify we revoke their citizenship and put them back on the boat.

There are some who take advantage of our kind social security system, some who move to a ghetto and close off with only their own culture to integrate with, and some simply do not embrace the opportunity they are given, and this is the group that i assume they are trying to target by these new laws.

Its not just get a ticket and in you go, it should be what you do when you get in that is just as important.

*typo. I meant to say, those who refuse to listen to anything bush says, and believe he is totally evil.

And Hell's Angel... did you listen to what Senator Bartlett was actually saying?

Unless I'm totally mistaken, the point he made was that these recent comments have led to nothing but "shallow jingoistic nationalism"

Is he wrong? is this debate actually producing anything else?

The real question is ultimately, how do we form a cohesive society that still respects the rights and beliefs of the individual.

Bartlett's comments don't seem to have actually attacked this in any way, but having read your post Hell's Angel, I can't help but feel you've simplified his statements into simplistic themes that you can feel comfortable attacking.

Ironically, this was precisely what he was railing against.

As Steve points out there is already a language test requirement for citizenship. There are also language services available to new migrants. At least there were when I came here 26 years ago. Finally you'd think the market is a pretty good incentive to learn english. If you speak the lingo you can get a better job and earn more cash. In an age where most husbands and wifes work you'd think this takes care of itself.

As far as a values exam goes do we really think that an awareness test will stop terrorists? Everyone with a driving license is aware of the traffic rules yet every police force has an entire division devoted to traffic offenders.

Besides who will define the values? Do they change over time? If we assume that our laws reflect our values, perhaps it would make more sense and be a lot less controversial to set an exam on our laws, our political structure and life skills. eg what forms of discrimination are not allowed, three tiers of government, donating to the salvos is not the same as topping up your super, etc etc. The same course could be given to high school students so that they don't miss out.

Jane S says (22Sep2006 10:18:21 AM): "I think we should go one further. I think everyone should also be required to get a working knowledge of the local indigenous language."

Wow!

Living where I do, I'd have to learn the Darug language. How am I going to find lessons to teach me that?

Andrew Bartlett is guilty of the very thing that he accuses John Howard of,ie wedge politics.Notions of white supremacy just because immigrants are asked to learn English,know and respect a few basic tenets,is not over the top.Andrew wants to court the immigrant vote by driving a wedge between the new arrivals and those already established.He is the one creating the "them and us mentality" all for his own political advantage.

The only product differentiation the Democrats have,is to move further towards the loopy left,and Andrew's comments above,have verified and consolidated their further demise.

Reckon Steve nailed it early on. Existing requirements already lay out language requirements and no surprise they're nothing new.

Whcih raises the obvious question, why now? Alan asks "why are the moonbats coming out of the woodwork and gettin all riled up if it was nothing new?" Well that's just the point. If this ain't a feint, a wink and a nod towards the We-were-here-first mob, a latent signal the PM is on 'your side', why mention it?

The changes are, after all, purely symbolic. What symbol you take from it depends on how strongly you believe them bloody foreigners should mind their step when they get here, bringing all their weird habits and clothes and languages with them. "Stencklier D'Sclussen" indeed.

A final note - great to see Andrew Bartlett taking the time to mix it on an open forum