Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I say again that we will be monitoring the program closely and there will be a review in three years time. We do not have any results of any reviews overseas. I understand there is one being conducted in United States which has not yet concluded. We will watch that carefully. However, I think it is fair to say that the government does not share the concerns of people who think that this might deter people from applying for citizenship. As I understand it, there is a four-year requirement for residency before you can take the test and I think that someone who has been in Australia for four years would have sufficient confidence to make an application for citizenship and go through the test. The longer you stay in a place, the more comfortable you become in that environment, and one would assume that you would have the confidence to do it. I do not think Australia is a country where people are overawed or intimidated by the programs we have. I do not see any reason for there to be a reduction in the number of applications because people do not want to take the citizenship test. We have nothing on which to base any concern. We will be continuously monitoring this, as I say, and in three years time there will be a review. We will also be looking at the overseas experience. We have not yet seen the results of reviews overseas. As I say, we will have a look at the review being conducted in the United States when it is handed down.