Yuyutsu

Your cynicism adds nothing.

Even I, strongly opposed to immigration in most cases, wouldn't suggest, as you have, that migrants are going to just 'tell them what they want to hear'.

The point is: the quality of immigrants is slipping all the time. The 'skilled' immigration intake is very low; it's a sham.

Immigration is being use by the political class to boost GDP. Nothing more. There is no more infrastructure to cope with the massive
influxes, no extra housing, no extra health and education.

Immigrants now are just cannon fodder to ward off recession, as any competent economist will tell you.

It doesn't matter how dumb or useless immigrants are.

Dear Ttbn,

I thought the topic you introduced was the Australian citizenship test, rather than immigration - you must be aware that one doesn't need to become a citizen in order to immigrate.

As for the cynicism, it is not mine, it's of the people who came out with that test.

In real life, 99% of the people, when faced with an official answer they disagree with to an official question, would provide the official answer rather than the answer they believe to be correct.

The outliers are the imbeciles who fail to understand the questions and the overly intelligent who could contribute most to society, but are too proud to provide stupid answers.

You must be familiar already with this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VucczIg98Gw

Yuyutsu

Don't be obtuse; you are too clever for that. You can't apply for citizenship unless you immigrate.

Do you have proof that “99%” of people would tell a lie? Some, yes; but 99%? You have a lower opinion of people than I do. Some would add, ‘and that's really saying something’.

Let's concentrate on the topic that 35% of would-be citizens were too intellectually inept to pass the test, and not the sort of people capable of making a useful contribution to society, apart from propping up the GDP to make the government look better than it is.

Dear Ttbn,

«you are too clever for that. You can't apply for citizenship unless you immigrate.»

But you can immigrate without applying for citizenship, in which case you remain a permanent resident indefinitely (though your offspring when born in Australia would automatically become Australian citizens).

«Let's concentrate on the topic that 35% of would-be citizens were too intellectually inept to pass the test»

I find it hard to believe that the test (which I looked at) is such an intellectual challenge. The overwhelmingly biggest reason must therefore be the inadequate level of their English. A small minority may also fail the test because they cannot conscientiously mark answers they do not agree with.

Whether or not these 35% pass the test and become citizens, they would still consume the same infrastructure and still prop up the GDP to make the government look better.

"The pass rate for the Australian Citizenship Test has fallen from 80% to 65%."
- Ah, I see. So that means you're allowed to get 7 wrong out of those 20 questions or alternatively 13 correct out of 20 and you pass.
Some of the questions are a little difficult, but some of them the answer is obvious because the other multiple choice options are stupid.

I got 18 out of 20, but I should've gotten 19 as one I just didn't read or think about properly before I answered it, and there was no 'check answers' button at the bottom, meaning I did not go back and double check my answers before finishing as I would've normally done.

14. Which arm of government has the power to interpret and apply laws?
a. Legislative
b. Executive
c. Judicial

I thought the question was asking which branch of government makes laws not enforces them and I chose a/ legislative (wrong)

I could probably make the same argument above for the other one I got wrong;
- Just didn't read or think about it properly before I answered it.

15. Which of these is a role of the Governor-General?
a. The appointment of state premiers
b. Signing all Bills passed by the Australian Parliament into law
c. The appointment of the Head of State

I chose c/ (wrong) but upon reflection our head of state and state premiers are not appointed by anyone, they are voted in by the Australian people.

Dear Critic,

I got 19/20 correct.

The only question I missed were the colours of the Australian flag.
It's just this automatic response of mine: when I see a flag (or any other advertisement for that matter) I avert my eyes.
But then, had I come prepared and read that booklet in advance then surely I would have gotten even that one right.