Kerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Greens support these particular amendments. We are opposed to the citizenship test because we do not think it is going to meet the objectives that the government set out for the test about improving the English language skills of migrants and creating a more cohesive society in Australia. In fact, we think it will do precisely the opposite to those two things. What these amendments go to is ensuring that people have the opportunity to learn about citizenship and what that means. We think that is fundamentally important and something that should be made available to all people who are seeking to gain citizenship in Australia. Indeed, we think there is benefit in people who are citizens of Australia by birth also having the opportunity to access that information. So we are very supportive of having an education program such as that proposed in this set of amendments that Senator Bartlett has put forward.

I want to ask the minister a couple of more general questions about some of the criticism of the citizenship test and, in particular, whether the government has a view about what impact the introduction of the citizenship test will have on the existing English language classes for migrants. We heard during the Senate inquiry from people who teach English as a second language in Australia. They were concerned that the existing English language classes for migrants may end up teaching people how to pass the test rather than the communication skills that they need to survive here in Australia.

That is a very significant concern for me because I do not want to see the existing English language programs undermined. I think these programs, by the way, are good and need to be expanded. That is why I moved a second reading amendment on behalf of the Greens calling for that to occur. I acknowledge that there was some additional funding provided in the budget. I think the programs that exist are beneficial and I would not want to see them undermined by the introduction of a citizenship test that sees those language programs change to end up teaching people only how to pass the test. I do not think that is anywhere near as helpful as teaching people the communication skills that they need. Has the government formed a view about that or done any kind of assessment of the impact that this citizenship test will have on the existing English language programs for migrants?