Ben Morton (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on what the government is doing to ensure that Australian values of freedom and mutual respect are at the heart of the citizenship process?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world. Our success cannot be taken for granted. It is based on shared values of democracy, the rule of law, freedom, mutual respect and equality between men and women. Those values are accessible to every Australian whatever their cultural, racial or religious background—as it should be—but we must not take that for granted. And at the heart of our success is Australian citizenship. There is no office more important in a democracy than that of citizen, and we should treasure and honour our citizenship.

I am very disappointed that the Labor Party want to continue to treat Australian citizenship as the outcome of an administrative process of form filling.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Isaacs!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They object to the proposition that Australian citizens should speak English. They know, as well as everyone here does, that the road to success—to getting ahead and to getting on in business, work, school and socially in Australia—is to have a good command of English. So having competent English is an absolutely reasonable requirement. And it is as recommended, indeed, by the Productivity Commission.

Labor also object to the proposition that you should have lived here as the permanent resident for four years before you apply for citizenship.

Mr Gosling interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Solomon is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is less than the residence time in the United States. It is much less than the time in Germany. We have not taken the process of citizenship seriously enough in the past. There is an opportunity now to affirm our faith in citizenship and affirm our faith in society.

The member for Watson sneers and says, 'Citizenship has nothing to do with security.' That is what he said. Does this member seriously imagine for one minute that an integrated society and a harmonious society, one based on shared values and mutual respect, has nothing to do with security? It is the very foundation of it. It is why we are a harmonious society. We have the opportunity to reaffirm those values, to reaffirm our citizenship and to require that those who seek to become Australian citizens share our values. They are values that unite us and values that define us. Labor should support us.

Mr Watts interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The member for Gellibrand will cease interjecting. There were so many unruly interjections during that answer, I decided to let the Prime Minister continue. The members for Lyons, Kingston, Whitlam and many others—I am not going to waste the time of the House going through them all; you know who you are—if you interject any more, you will be thrown out immediately under standing order 94(a). Do not expect any warning.