Aus to toughen citizenship laws
Sydney - A lawmaker in Prime Minister John Howard's conservative government on Sunday recommended tightening Australia's citizenship requirements, saying the national identity was under threat.
Andrew Robb, the parliamentary secretary for immigration, on Sunday released a discussion paper recommending that all would-be citizens pass a compulsory test assessing their English skills and knowledge of Australian history, values and customs.
The paper also recommends that the waiting period for becoming a citizen be raised from three years to four.
"Australian citizenship is a privilege. It ... gives us our identity. It tells who we are, where we fit in the world," Robb told the Nine television network. "It is a unifying force in Australia and if we give it away like confetti it is not valued."
The discussion paper will be circulated among lawmakers in Canberra before being turned into legislation for a vote, possibly later this year.
The prime minister has already expressed his support for a possible bill, saying "cultural diversity should never come at the expense of ... national identity."
The proposal is the latest development in a long-running debate about immigration in Australia, where more than 20 percent of the population was born overseas.
It follows a recent crackdown on illegal immigrants and concerns that extremist Islamic views could be gaining a foothold in some ethnic communities.
Some have suggested the proposal is the latest in a string of measures aimed at preventing terrorist activity in Australia. Others have said such a plan could backfire by making potential terrorists feel more isolated from mainstream Australia.
However, Robb rejected these claims.
"Any unified society can deal more fully with terrorism, but this is not an anti-terrorism initiative," he said.
Nevertheless, the proposal has been criticized by several ethnic support groups, who say it would discriminate against immigrants from non English-speaking countries, especially those with limited education or who are illiterate in their native languages.
Robb said a recent influx of newcomers from non-European countries had contributed to a general feeling that Australia's national identity was under threat.
He said the "broader community" would feel more comfortable if immigrants were required to learn some English and show an understanding of local customs before becoming citizens.
"It is very important that people have the time - four years at least - and the understanding and the English skills that when they make the pledge to become an Australian citizen that they know what they are pledging to," Robb said.
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