Post by ppyenews on Sept 15, 2006 8:30:37 GMT -5
Welcome to ‘Talkback Topic’ – I’m Phillip Pye.
‘Gee whizz’, Prime Minister John Howard has certainly been busy in ‘instituting legislation reforms’ of late. It only seems like yesterday he was “buzzing around” doing his best to change the laws regarding ‘Asylum Seekers and Refugee’s’ and now it seems he has his eye’s set on changing the ‘Immigration Laws’ to include migrants being forced to pass an English Test in order to obtain Australian Citizenship.
According to ABC News the ‘Prime Minister’ says the Government's plan to toughen up migration requirements will not be a difficulty for 'fair dinkum' migrants. As part of the new requirements for Australian citizenship, the length of time migrants have to wait before applying will be increased from three to four years. It is expected migrants will also have to pass an English language test in order to become an Australian citizen, however The Federal Opposition has criticised a proposal to make migrants wait four years instead of three before becoming eligible for Australian citizenship.
Labor's citizenship spokeswoman, Annette Hurley, says people should be encouraged to take out citizenship sooner rather than later. "When you take the oath to become an Australian citizen you indicate that Australia is your primary country your principle loyalty lies with Australia," she said. The Refugee Council's president, John Gibson, says the changes just add another unnecessary and unjustifiable hurdle for refugees.
The Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils says migrants should be encouraged to gain English language skills, but it should not be compulsory. The federation's chairwoman, Voula Messimeri, says the plans are unfair. She says her parents, who came to Australia in the 1970s, are a good example. "They spoke very little English," she said. The proposal has also prompted both the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils and the Refugee Council to call for more Government funding for English classes.
But Australian Greens leader BOB BROWN has got my vote on the issue, he says – “the rules mark a shift back to the White Australia policy”. If you consider that ‘White Australia’ was a period of Australian History in which official, and inofficial policy favoured British Immigrants. At that time there was a ‘Dictation Test’ for prospective Immigrants coming to Australia. It was administered 805 times in 1902-03 with 46 people passing, and 554 times in 1904-09 with 6 people passing. Nobody passed it after that until 1958 when the ‘Migration Act’ introduced a far simpler system, and abolished the ‘Dictation Test’.
The Prime Minister it seems, wants to make a backward step here. Bob Brown is correct in saying it is a return to the ideals of the ‘White Australia’ era. Does Australia really want that?
I’m Phillip Pye.
‘Gee whizz’, Prime Minister John Howard has certainly been busy in ‘instituting legislation reforms’ of late. It only seems like yesterday he was “buzzing around” doing his best to change the laws regarding ‘Asylum Seekers and Refugee’s’ and now it seems he has his eye’s set on changing the ‘Immigration Laws’ to include migrants being forced to pass an English Test in order to obtain Australian Citizenship.
According to ABC News the ‘Prime Minister’ says the Government's plan to toughen up migration requirements will not be a difficulty for 'fair dinkum' migrants. As part of the new requirements for Australian citizenship, the length of time migrants have to wait before applying will be increased from three to four years. It is expected migrants will also have to pass an English language test in order to become an Australian citizen, however The Federal Opposition has criticised a proposal to make migrants wait four years instead of three before becoming eligible for Australian citizenship.
Labor's citizenship spokeswoman, Annette Hurley, says people should be encouraged to take out citizenship sooner rather than later. "When you take the oath to become an Australian citizen you indicate that Australia is your primary country your principle loyalty lies with Australia," she said. The Refugee Council's president, John Gibson, says the changes just add another unnecessary and unjustifiable hurdle for refugees.
The Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils says migrants should be encouraged to gain English language skills, but it should not be compulsory. The federation's chairwoman, Voula Messimeri, says the plans are unfair. She says her parents, who came to Australia in the 1970s, are a good example. "They spoke very little English," she said. The proposal has also prompted both the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils and the Refugee Council to call for more Government funding for English classes.
But Australian Greens leader BOB BROWN has got my vote on the issue, he says – “the rules mark a shift back to the White Australia policy”. If you consider that ‘White Australia’ was a period of Australian History in which official, and inofficial policy favoured British Immigrants. At that time there was a ‘Dictation Test’ for prospective Immigrants coming to Australia. It was administered 805 times in 1902-03 with 46 people passing, and 554 times in 1904-09 with 6 people passing. Nobody passed it after that until 1958 when the ‘Migration Act’ introduced a far simpler system, and abolished the ‘Dictation Test’.
The Prime Minister it seems, wants to make a backward step here. Bob Brown is correct in saying it is a return to the ideals of the ‘White Australia’ era. Does Australia really want that?
I’m Phillip Pye.