I am pleased to inform all non-citizens of Australia wishing to become Australian citizens that the Minister of Immigration & Border Protection, the Hon. Peter Dutton’s crackdown on citizenship Law was defeated by the Senate yesterday. For a full update please click on the link
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/peter-duttons-citizenship-crackdown-quietly-killed-off-by-the-senate-20171018-gz38zv.html
This means the unreasonable and draconian proposed English Language changes requiring a score equivalent to “Competent Level” of 6.0 points in each of the 4 bands of the IELTS Test will not be applicable. Also the requirement of chalking up at least 4 years residence in Australia as a “permanent resident visa holder” is also not required. Had the proposed English Language Test been passed by the Senate yesterday that would have deprived many deserving and law abiding immigrants from non-English speaking backgrounds from ever becoming Australian citizens and consign them forever as second class residents of Australia.
It is my view that a substantial number of our State and Federal Members of Parliament would also not be able to attain this same score if they are required to sit for an English Language test to attain up to “Competent Level” in the IELTS Test before being able to stand for election. Yet they are “considered” fit to be custodians of our law without any surety that they are “Competent Level” English language speakers but we all know the fitness or rather unfitness of some of our members of Parliament that currently represent us in Parliament.