Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, too, rise to speak on the Australian Citizenship Bill 2005 and the Australian Citizenship (Transitionals and Consequentials) Bill 2005. Citizenship is the foundation of Australian society on which our democratic system of government rests. In a country that has largely been built on immigration, Australian citizenship takes on even greater significance. Perhaps more than anything else, it reflects the fact that Australia has been a work in progress, depending on migrants from all around the world to populate, build and sustain what has become our vibrant, multicultural and largely contemporary Australian society.

For many of us, including me, Australian citizenship is part of our birthright; it is something that most of us take for granted—at least most of the time. However, for the 3.5 million or so people who have become Australian citizens since World War II, it is a different story. In deciding to take the oath of allegiance they made a conscious and deliberate choice to affirm their loyalty to Australia and its democratic ideals. Their decision to do so was no doubt very much influenced by the view of Australia as the land of hope and opportunity and a country free from the tyranny and violence that many of them desperately sought to escape.

In the electorate of Hindmarsh, 23 per cent of people were born overseas, and I am very proud to say that 91 per cent of the people in the electorate of Hindmarsh are Australian citizens. That compares to 88 per cent nationally. So in Hindmarsh, a greater number of people who were born overseas decide to become Australian citizens, and I think that is quite significant. As one of the 43 per cent of people living in Australia who were either born overseas or have one or both of their parents who were, I think I can say that I have some understanding of the importance of Australian citizenship.

Both my mother and father migrated to Australia from Greece. Like so many other migrants, they came here in the early 1950s. To them, I owe a deep depth of gratitude for providing me with the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of their birthplace as well as its language. As an Australian, I treasure my heritage and am proud of my parents for making it happen for me, but I fearlessly call myself an Australian at all times.

Although I was only a child at the time, I can still recall and I still have great memories of the ceremony where they received their Australian citizenship at the Thebarton Town Hall, very near to where I still live today. It was unquestionably a special occasion for me and for the entire family. Even though I was only four years old at the time, I still treasure that moment and remember it vividly. I am sure many other people who are gaining their citizenship will always treasure that special moment and remember it for the rest of their lives, as I did when I saw my parents gain their citizenship.

Taking out Australian citizenship does not mean turning your back on your heritage. On the contrary, it contributes to the continually evolving nature of Australian culture. In this context, the decision to seek citizenship is a celebration of multiculturalism, one that exemplifies the adage that in diversity there is unity. But for the positives of multiculturalism, citizenship is much more than this single outcome of Australia’s immigration policies over the past couple of hundred years.

Citizenship is much more than the recognition that Australia is a desirable country within which to build a new life. It is much more than the opportunity to live in relative peace away from century-old millennium hostilities, conflicts and inhumane actions that are still evident in parts of the world and that too often seem both insurmountable and contagious.

Citizenship is about rights and responsibilities—in a sense, joint ownership, both of the good and the bad, and a commitment to this nation that joint ownership suggests. It is a bit like a marriage: the engagement period can be for a short period or a long period. Many people decide immediately that they want to become citizens because they know immediately that this is the place for them. For others it may take a bit longer. But it does not matter how long it takes—the important thing is that they have taken that step to become citizens and embrace this country wholly.

The discussion paper on a citizenship test released by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs proposes a number of characteristics that, while not necessarily being exclusive to this country, offer a description of either how we see ourselves or how we would like to be perceived. These characteristics include: respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, support for the democracy, our commitment to the rule of law, the equality of men and women, the spirit of a fair go and of mutual respect, and compassion for those in need.

The discussion paper calls for input on a number of points, but I only want to comment on a couple at this point in time: firstly, regarding English language proficiency. Current arrangements require prospective citizens to have their English capabilities demonstrated either by an Australian citizenship language record issued by an Adult Migrant English Program provider or through a formal citizenship interview. Content of the English program can be centred on Australia and the Australian way of life through a course called Let’s Participate: A Course in Australian Citizenship. Through such a program, prospective citizens develop their English skills through learning the kinds of things that most people would expect prospective citizens to be aware of.

Subsequent to such courses, the citizenship interview also requires applicants to respond to questions regarding the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship. The questions may not be particularly hard. They may be no harder than those put to prospective UK citizens in their multiple-choice test. But testing is effectively in place already in Australia. I would like to suggest that programs such as Let’s Participate: A Course in Australian Citizenship could well be made a matter of course for prospective citizens, irrespective of a person’s English skills.

Successful completion of such a course and the English language skills that completion would require would be indicative of a prospective citizen’s knowledge and understanding of his or her place within Australian society. I think it is the responsibility of the government to maximise the availability of Australian centred programs for all migrants and, specifically, English language tuition for those from non-English-speaking backgrounds, irrespective of whether a person is applying for citizenship, continuing as a permanent resident or on a temporary visa. That the content of such courses consists of information pertinent to life within Australia is well and good, and I would assume it evolves over time to address particular themes as they become more pertinent to Australian society.

A reduction in spending on the Adult Migrant English Program to the tune of $10.8 million, as stated in a Senate estimates hearing earlier this year, suggests that the government could increase its focus on this program, the utility of English within this nation and the social benefits that migrants derive from developing their English skills. I would encourage the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs to pursue a level of funding for the program that reflects its ongoing importance.

I would like to make a comment on another question raised by the discussion paper—that is, how important is a demonstrated commitment to Australia’s way of life and values for those intending to settle permanently in Australia or to spend significant periods of time in Australia? Australia’s way of life and values presumably incorporate those elements described in the position paper as ‘the spirit of a fair go’. A variation of this theme, I suppose, is something that we all are familiar with—that we are saying that all of us have grown up with—and that is ‘a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay’. Fairness is something that the Australian government itself may have a difficult time in establishing as one of its characteristics or even interests. A prospective citizen may look at this government’s legislative agenda over recent months and the way that its attitude to fairness has been absorbed and implemented since the introduction of the government’s new IR policies. What would the prospective citizen see as demonstrating fairness?

The government’s view of what constitutes fairness can be seen in its shredding of the old Workplace Relations Act 1996, specifically in relation to the establishment of the minimum but fair wage. Now the government’s view of fairness is demonstrated in its new legislation’s dismissal of fairness as a criterion and its use of the term as a brand name, highly deceptive of its intent. The government went well out of its way to strip the concept of fairness from that which was charged with establishing a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. This government’s demonstration of fairness and values is evident in its approach to workplace democracy, and this is the example of Australian fairness that new Australians experience when entering the Australian workforce for the first time. This is the meaning of an Australian fair go that people will experience day after day through the workplace. No number or size of Australia Day ceremonies or parades will make up for the attack on fairness that people in this country are currently experiencing the effects of, every single working day, potentially for years to come. If anyone wants to talk about Australian values, they cannot include the Australian government. There are few organisations integral to this nation that are less Australian than the current Australian government and its Work Choices legislation.

Turning back to the bill, I think it can be said that much of its content is unobjectionable. In relation to the resumption of citizenship, I note that the bill does not provide for the resumption of citizenship by children whose parents have knowingly renounced their Australian citizenship. This is patently unfair, and it has been an ongoing issue of concern, particularly to the Maltese community, many of whom reside in the electorate of Hindmarsh. It is a concern that I share as well. The injustice of this situation was recognised by the former minister in a speech to the Sydney Institute, where he undertook to remedy the situation at the earliest opportunity. However, there is nothing that addresses this concern. In the light of the government’s failure to act, Labor has sought an amendment to clause 21 of the bill to deliver on this broken promise.

At the moment there are a few vocal people in Australia who are indulging in a myth of a monoculture. It is unfortunate that they are pushing against the reality that multicultural Australia exists and that being an Australian who has links with another nation is about as Australian as you can get. Our local libraries are filled with Australians tracing their family trees, with people sometimes finding out funny things about their background. One of my constituents who looked up their family tree told me about a Cornish great-great-grandmother who was in love with an Afghan camel trader. So whether you research your Welsh, Irish, Italian, Greek or Vietnamese heritage, it makes little difference. With the exception of Indigenous Australians, our people have been here in this great country for only a few generations.

Australia’s multiculturalism is a model for other nations around the world. It is an advantage that the great majority of us have been here for only a few generations. As I said earlier, we do not have ancient hatreds, and as such we can live together as one nation. I am alarmed by the suggestion by some that multiculturalism is not working. It is a part of what this country is, and it has been a part of Australia for the past 200 years. To anyone who thinks that multiculturalism is not a success, I ask this one question: is Australia a success? Clearly, the answer is yes. Because Australia and multiculturalism are so thoroughly entwined, it follows that multiculturalism is also a great success.

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