Citizenship test pass rates high: govt

[Nooj]

Migrants from South Africa, India and the Philippines have a lower failure rate in the nation's citizenship test than people from New Zealand or Britain, government figures show.
However, the majority of newcomers are passing the much-criticised test and it has an overall pass rate of 93 per cent.
Changes are expected to be made to the test by the new government, though, including the removal of a question about legendary Australian cricketer Sir Donald Bradman.
The question is one of many Labor believes was written by former prime minister John Howard, Fairfax newspapers report.
Failure rates were respectively 0.9 per cent for South Africans, 1.0 per cent for Indians and 1.9 per cent for Filipinos, compared to 2.2 per cent for Britons and 2.7 per cent for New Zealanders.
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans is expected to commission a review of the test on Tuesday, to be conducted in April, six months after it was introduced.
"The test can play a valuable role in helping new citizens understand the rights and responsibilities of citizenship," Mr Evans told News Ltd.
The test was introduced on October 1 by the Howard government and includes multiple choice and true-or-false questions from a pool of 200 questions.

That's interesting.

 

[Nooj]

From here.

New figures show that 93 per cent of immigrants who take Australia's controversial new citizenship test pass it on their first or subsequent attempts.
Just over 9,000 people sat the test between October and December last year.
Eighteen per cent failed the test on their first try, but 93 per cent passed on their first or subsequent attempts.
Skilled migrants had the highest success rate, with 97 per cent passing, while those coming in under humanitarian programs had an 80 per cent pass rate.
The test was introduced by the previous federal government and quizzes applicants on Australian values, culture and history, but also includes questions about cricket great Sir Donald Bradman, one of former prime minister John Howard's heroes.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has ordered a review of the test, to be completed in April, and says the Bradman questions will be among those under scrutiny.
"I think it is a symbol that perhaps there's been some political interference in the setting of the test and its questions," he said.
"We want to make sure that the test is appropriate, that it's based on what people really need to know in order to become citizens of the country."
But he says the Government is confident the test can continue to play a valuable role.

I think the Bradman question was a stupid one from the start. You don't need to know about him to be a good Aussie citizen, nor is he really part of our culture.

 

[WESTERNdeitySIXmoths]

^ what do you need to know about, other than the law, to be a "good Aussie citizen"?

 

[ScMay]

From here. I think the Bradman question was a stupid one from the start. You don't need to know about him to be a good Aussie citizen, nor is he really part of our culture.

Does anyone know what the question about Bradman was? Rediculous thogh to include a question about a sporting hero - its basically assuming that you have to like cricket to be Aussie (and i HATE cricket). Knowing who he is has absolutely no value outside the history of a specific sport in Australia.

^ what do you need to know about, other than the law, to be a "good Aussie citizen"?

True. I think the pollies are just assuming that if they know things about X they will also agree with X (X being their particular views about Australia's history and future). Knowing about "mateship" (what on earth is that really anyway? Every time I here I think "meaningless buzzword", at first I think it should be obvious - until I try to define) does not stop someone from beating their wife(for example), an education and knowledge about the law will prevent it.

 

[WESTERNdeitySIXmoths]

i don't think the "pollies" believe it will accomplish anything, reeeeeeally... i think they're just trying to please the (presumably v. large) conservative constituent of our aging population like hand-feeding goats at a petting zoo

(but we WON'T forget =()

 

[ScMay]

i don't think the "pollies" believe it will accomplish anything, reeeeeeally... i think they're just trying to please the (presumably v. large) conservative constituent of our aging population like hand-feeding goats at a petting zoo

(but we WON'T forget =()

I see your point. *sigh* One of the greatest flaws of democracy, politicians appealing to the ignorant and ill informed because their votes are easier to draw than the rest (and unfortunately there are a lot of them).

 

[cloudstrife007]

The test is good in the sense that it gets migrants to learn about Australia. But I'm wondering what the pass rate would be if you get a random Aussies off the streets to do the test.