Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Requirements for Australian Citizenship and Other Measures) Bill 2017 - Submission 557 - Citizenship language test must just be basic English

Sep 18, 2026

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Submission 557 addresses Australia’s proposed citizenship legislation, arguing that a citizenship language test should require only basic English to enable communication in a multicultural society. The submission contends that an academic-level English test would unfairly exclude people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, effectively operating as indirect racism. It frames citizenship as a unifying mechanism that supports equality, bonding, and a universal identity connected to the country of residence, and rejects the planned difficulty as a potential human-rights violation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Key position

Basic English requirement over academic level

Equality, belonging, and unity

Concerns about human rights and indirect discrimination

Indirect racism through exclusions

Call for fairness in testing

FAQs

What does Submission 557 argue about the citizenship language test?

It argues that the test should require only basic English so applicants can communicate in Australia.

Why does the submission oppose an academic-level English test?

It claims an academic test would eliminate certain nationalities from non-English-speaking countries, amounting to indirect racism.

How does the submission describe the purpose of citizenship?

It presents citizenship as a way to bond and unite people, promote equality, and give individuals a universal identity linked to their country of residence.

Sep 18, 2026

Upload by Noah