News
Citizenship test faces changes
Australia's citizenship test will be overhauled in 2009, after a government-approved committee found that the existing test needs vast improvement.
Since 1st October 2007, any permanent resident wishing to assume Aussie citizenship has been required to pass a multiple-choice general knowledge quiz about Australia first.
However, following a lengthy review of the citizenship exam it was decided that the current test places far too much emphasis on trivial Australian knowledge, and not enough on the civic responsibilities of what it means to be an Aussie citizen.
"Is it better that a citizen understands what Ludwig Leichhardt was famous for or the role of the Courts in the Australian legal system? Is knowing that South Australia is the 'festival state' more important than having an understanding of how Australia's system of Government works?" asked Christopher Evans, rhetorically, upon announcing that changes to the test would be forthcoming.
The Government will engage educational and civic experts to rewrite the citizenship resource book in English, divided into testable and non-testable sections.
The testable section, from which the new test questions will be drawn, will cover the concepts associated with the 'Pledge of Commitment'. The non-testable section will contain general information about Australia, including its history, its culture and notable people like Sir Donald Bradman.
The pass mark for the citizenship test will rise from 60 per cent to 75 per cent and there will be no mandatory questions as in the current test.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship will engage experts as soon as possible to commence work on redrafting the resource book with a view to completing the book and new test by August 2009.
04 March 2009