The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) warmly welcomes the findings and recommendations of the Multicultural Framework Review, recognising its significance as a generational reform agenda that requires a whole-of-government and community approach. The Review presents a set of 29 recommendations and calls for 10 of these to be actioned immediately.
RCOA particularly emphasises the importance of the recommendation to reform the citizenship test. The Review Panel’s recommends that:
“The Department of Home Affairs, through government and non-government consultation, to action an immediate review of the Australian citizenship test procedures, including considering providing the test in languages other than English and in alternative and more accessible formats.”
Some refugee community members, especially those whose access to formal education was limited, have faced substantial challenges in passing the citizenship test. This difficulty has been exacerbated by the 2020 changes, which introduced five mandatory questions on Australian values, all of which must be answered correctly.
In 2018, the then Coalition Government attempted to increase the language requirements for the citizenship test. This move was widely rejected by the Australian community, leading to the abandonment of the proposed legislation in the Senate. However, the Coalition Government subsequently introduced additional hurdles through policy changes, significantly impacting people from refugee backgrounds.
Individuals without formal education, particularly the elderly and women, struggle to pass these five mandatory values questions. This struggle is not due to a lack of shared Australian values but rather their limited experience with formal English tests.
“In too many cases, we see families divided between those who are able to pass the citizenship and those who cannot,” RCOA chief executive officer Paul Power said.
“Instead of penalising those with low English proficiency, we should strive to encourage all individuals to become citizens and contribute to Australian society. We urge the Government to implement the Panel’s recommendation for a comprehensive review of the citizenship test.”
The Multicultural Framework Review underscores the need to reframe citizenship as a tool to promote a more inclusive and welcoming community. The current citizenship application process presents challenges that hinder the fostering of inclusion and belonging. The Review highlights that:
- The high English language requirement of the existing citizenship test poses a significant barrier for many potential applicants, undermining its effectiveness in promoting a truly inclusive and cohesive society.
- Certain groups, particularly women in refugee communities with limited literacy opportunities, find the current test excessively difficult.
- The notion of framing citizenship as a ‘privilege’ contributes to a sense of division and ‘othering’ within the community.
- The requirement for applicants to prove their identity repeatedly, despite having done so during the migration process, is counter-intuitive and unnecessary.
- The current focus on factual knowledge in the test fails to adequately assess an individual’s commitment to Australia’s values and principles, reducing the test to a mere ‘memory test’.
- Conducting the test solely in English, despite the availability of translated learning materials, creates a significant barrier for applicants still developing their English language skills.
“A comprehensive review of the citizenship process is urgently required to identify and address these barriers, ensuring that citizenship is a positive and empowering experience that promotes inclusion and belonging. This review should involve collaboration with a diverse range of community stakeholders, including refugee communities, to develop a more inclusive and streamlined pathway to citizenship.”
