CLA questions whether Australia’s citizenship test should be continued at all. If kept, it certainly must be reworked to be fair and equitable to refugee and humanitarian migrants, CLA’s media release says. Immigration Minister Chris Evans should act immediately to change the test questions.
CLA questions test, says it must be reworked at least
29 January 2008
Civil Liberties Australia questions how long the Rudd Government will continue with the citizenship test.
"CLA congratulates Immigration Minister Chris Evans on his review of the test, and being open by publishing the details of test results,” CLA President, Dr Kristine Klugman, said.
“We encourage him – if he’s going to keep the test – to immediately rework it so it’s fair and equitable.
"This test is clearly skewed to disadvantage refugees and humanitarian immigrants not from western nations. Cricket is not a high priority, when just eating and surviving is all they have time for.
"The test needs to be reviewed on the basis of its purpose and the equity with which it achieves this purpose – it’s hard to see how it is needed now when it hasn’t been for the past 60 years.
“New Australians since the 1950s – the people who helped make Australia what it is today – didn’t need a test like this,” Dr Klugman said.
"What makes us Australians is our commitment to pluralism, tolerance, diversity, freedom and democracy – not being able to recite trivia that a former Prime Minister found interesting.”