Post by Flash on Oct 1, 2007 2:54:31 GMT -5
The Australian Government's new citizenship test was today introduced in Queensland and Victoria and so far everyone has passed.
Prospective Australian citizens must achieve a score of at least 60 per cent in the 20 multiple choice question exam in order to pass.
The Government says the test requires people to speak basic English and understand the responsibilities of Australian citizenship.
Questions include what Australia's floral emblem is and the year European settlement started in Australia.
South African Marius van Eeden and his family are among the first of 33 prospective citizens who are sitting the test today and he has thrown his support behind it.
"I think it's a fantastic idea," he said.
"I don't think everyone that comes to Australia is really following the history, the culture, the values and I think it's a good thing."
Twenty-nine-year-old student Alejandro Rubilar from Chile says he found questions such as 'who is the head of the Government', simple.
"Scoring 60 per cent is really easy, the questions are very simple, but I think it is necessary," he said.
"If you want to fully integrate in the country you should know some basic things.
"I don't know about the language thing, I think for some people it is hard to learn a new language, especially when they come from countries where education is very poor."
Forty-one-year-old English IT worker and father of three Mark Soden was among the first group to sit the test.
Mr Soden scored full marks but says he would have preferred a face-to-face interview as part of his citizenship application.
"It's probably a bit harder I guess, because you've actually got to put the work in up front to know the answers," he said.
"Overall it was quite good I think. Probably 80 per cent of the stuff I knew anyway, but there was one or two dates I was a bit sketchy on."
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews says he believes most Australian-born citizens would be able to pass the new citizenship test.
He says any secondary student graduate should be able to pass the test.
"If people don't understand this knowledge and they're born in Australia, then that's a failing of our education system, rather than a failing of the immigration system," he said
The test means the cost of becoming a citizen has now doubled to $240 and all capable people aged between 18 and 60 must take it.
Prospective Australian citizens must achieve a score of at least 60 per cent in the 20 multiple choice question exam in order to pass.
The Government says the test requires people to speak basic English and understand the responsibilities of Australian citizenship.
Questions include what Australia's floral emblem is and the year European settlement started in Australia.
South African Marius van Eeden and his family are among the first of 33 prospective citizens who are sitting the test today and he has thrown his support behind it.
"I think it's a fantastic idea," he said.
"I don't think everyone that comes to Australia is really following the history, the culture, the values and I think it's a good thing."
Twenty-nine-year-old student Alejandro Rubilar from Chile says he found questions such as 'who is the head of the Government', simple.
"Scoring 60 per cent is really easy, the questions are very simple, but I think it is necessary," he said.
"If you want to fully integrate in the country you should know some basic things.
"I don't know about the language thing, I think for some people it is hard to learn a new language, especially when they come from countries where education is very poor."
Forty-one-year-old English IT worker and father of three Mark Soden was among the first group to sit the test.
Mr Soden scored full marks but says he would have preferred a face-to-face interview as part of his citizenship application.
"It's probably a bit harder I guess, because you've actually got to put the work in up front to know the answers," he said.
"Overall it was quite good I think. Probably 80 per cent of the stuff I knew anyway, but there was one or two dates I was a bit sketchy on."
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews says he believes most Australian-born citizens would be able to pass the new citizenship test.
He says any secondary student graduate should be able to pass the test.
"If people don't understand this knowledge and they're born in Australia, then that's a failing of our education system, rather than a failing of the immigration system," he said
The test means the cost of becoming a citizen has now doubled to $240 and all capable people aged between 18 and 60 must take it.