The Government's citizenship test will most likely cause discrimination against new migrants from new and emerging communities, as well as refugees from non-English speaking backgrounds. This writer completely disagrees with the Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Robb, claiming that Australia has one overriding culture and maintaining our identity as Australians. The values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law are clearly universal values. Multiculturalism in Australia has demonstrated that our diversity is a value that makes us unique and strong. We have had a very successful migration program where we have welcomed more than 6 million people since World War Two to our shores and provided them with the opportunity to begin new life. The Citizenship test is discriminatory and our reputation of being one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world today has certainly changed.

In countries such as in Europe and the United States that have citizenship tests, they don’t have a societal multicultural value or policy. Mr. Howard stated that the test would include an understanding of English, Australia’s history and cultural values, as well as the concepts of mateship and a “fair go.” This writer believes that proposing and approving such a test would truly damage our value of a “fair go.”

In saying that, most African humanitarian migrants are illiterate in their own language and didn’t have the opportunity to receive a decent level of education due to their hardships. By learning a completely new language reading from books and texts is a new aspect to them. The Federal Government would also have to place resources in developing these learning programs and materials, resources that could be invested into our educational system. The first issue migrants stress about is how to survive and make a living, learning English will automatically come to them as they involve themselves in our society.

Multiculturalism has enabled ethnic communities to embrace and celebrate their traditions and heritage. By implementing an English language citizenship test, the Federal Government has denied potential Australian citizens from non-English backgrounds and has abandoned our true national identity.

Yung,
I stand with you against the citizens tests etc outlined by Howard -though for different reasons-I think any such tests would be largely worthless. The real crooks/conmen etc will get around them through bribery or lies. (as they are doing with many of our current immigration standards/requirements)

However in the interests of giving ourselves a “fair go” we have an obligation to be as tight as necessary in accepting immigrants, my contention is, we have no place accepting people who cannot assimilate or meaningfully contribute. I have an in-law who cannot speak English despite attending numerous govt/council funded English courses, over many years. As soon as he is home he speaks his native language & never tries to use English , the English classes have been more like a social club for him. Additionally, he has never once worked or paid taxes in Australia, but receives full social welfare( & there are many like that).

You talk about success of assimilation in the past.
But in past you had heavy economic & social sanctions on those who did not assimilate.If you didn’t learn English & mix, you didn’t get a job & you didn’t prosper.

(While many communities have an excellent record of assimilation & contribution, a number do not.)

Now some communities are large enough to have their own special schools ,clubs, special broadcasting services,& regularly import marriage partners from overseas -none of which as a single issue is detrimental -but taken together, allow them to operate with a large measure of autonomy & insulation.

Additionally, now you have a host of special human right bodies & ’academics’ who periodically measure the success of every special interest/ethnic group ( multiculturalism has been a real boon for second rate academics & bureaucrats ).If the XYZs ethnic group has more than its share of unemployment , poor standard housing or crime -its never XYZs fault -it’s evidence of discrimination & reason for castigation of the mainstream culture & reason for positive discrimination & handouts for the minority.

Please show how “ Multiculturalism in Australia has demonstrated that our diversity is a value that makes us unique and strong”. In the first place, we are not unique (the only country in the world which practises multiculturalism). Unique means one only! That knocks that in the head. The only one you have to clear up now is how multiculturalism has made us strong.

Australia should be about Australia; not about accommodating “ethnic communities” wanting to “celebrate their traditions and heritage”, but who do not wish to live in their own countries

i dont understand why the test is not administered before people are admitted or given entry visas.

Surely this would be best for both parties.

People who dont like the way of life or do not want to learn english may not bother coming.

Also existing Australians will not have to meet the cost of attending to malcontents, who might have found another country more suited to their way of life or stayed where they were.

To Horus, you wrote

"Now some communities are large enough to have their own special schools ,clubs, special broadcasting services,& regularly import marriage partners from overseas -none of which as a single issue is detrimental -but taken together, allow them to operate with a large measure of autonomy & insulation."

You obviously are very young, or haven't looked around you very much. All new migrants since WWII that had any numbers, have had their own clubs, Saturday morning language classes for their kids, I remember going in the 1950s.

But I am from Northern Europe so I "look Australia". I get extremely upset when I am on public transport or out in public and some Anglo-Saxon starts making some derogatory comments about Asians, Middle Easterners or other obvious Non English Speaking Background people, assuming that I share his/her prejudices. You know, the "spot the Aussie" type comments. Some of these Anglo-Saxon people weren't born in Australia anymore than I was, and those he/she is disparaging might very well have been. I soon put them right about my background and that I am an Australian by choice, I have a piece of paper that says I am an Australia citizen, though that doesn't mean much under Mr Howard's govt.

Talking of ethnic clubs and associations, what about the UK Settlers Association who see themselves as British rather than Australians and don't take out Australian citizenship and fly the Union Jack at their meetings. What about English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish clubs and associations, do you object to them to?

Every single person in Australian is a migrant or descendant of migrants unless they are Aboriginal. Australia has been a multicultural, immigrant country since 1788 and its culture is still developing. The so-called "real" Australian culture is English-Irish with the Irish predominating.

I agree with the person who started this thread.

The test that potential migrants need to do is not to keep non whites out, in fact the majority of my co-workers come from India and they speak English very well even though they will exclude fellow workers from their conversation by speaking their native tong.
They are also not interested in the Australian culture and are down right arrogant.
This does not apply to the Anglo Indians.
At work we use to say "Too Many Chiefs not enough Indians"
I can assure you we have to many Indians right now and just as they have done in Fiji, Mauritius and several other countries they will take this country over unless we stop them.
There are thousands of Europeans that would love to migrate to Australia, but we seem to prefer to let the people in that stuffed up their own country.

Bring back Pauline Hanson.