John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is a passport to success in this country, and I am grateful that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has asked me that question so I have the opportunity of repeating what I said last week: that one of the essential passports to achievement in this country is to learn the English language. Whether or not you can speak the English language when you come here is beside the point. It is the speed with which you learn it and your commitment to learning it that are important, and I stand by everything I said last week.

See this speech in context