Song Challenge: Aussie values test

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Aussie values test
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 06:56 AM

Great ideas, Bruces, but what tune do you use?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Aussie values test
From: hilda fish
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 03:33 AM

Shouldn't they be put on a leaky boat and be made to jump overboard or at least throw their children overboard?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge: Aussie values test
From: JamesHenry
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 03:18 AM

Each tourist should be able to give a rendition of "Tie me Kangaroo Down Sport" with a wobble board accompaniment and demonstrate a fundamental knowledge a basic barbeque technique. A working knowledge of basic vocabulary ie g'day mate, good on ya, fair dinkum, don't come the raw prawn, should also be considered essential. Failing this tourists should be thrown out on their ear.

Subject: Song Challenge: Aussie values test
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 01:26 AM

Oh Dear,
Da Debil made me dood it...

All you old Pommie, Scottish, Welsh, Yank, etc, Failed Folkies watch out on your next Concert Tour! (Hi George!)

Just WHAT would be IN this test....

... and just WHAT would 'the prac test' for the "compulsory citizenship test" involve....

Take it away Bruce!!!!

~~~~~~
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20408575-2702,00.html

Aussie value test for new migrants
Dennis Shanahan, Political editor
14sep06

NEW migrants will be subject to a citizenship test on Australian values, for which Kim Beazley has been derided all round for proposing as a condition of entry for tourists.

The Government is about to release proposals for a compulsory citizenship test on English and values, such as the rule of law, democratic rights and religious freedom.
The Labor leader came under intense criticism within his own partyroom on Tuesday after suggesting all visitors to Australia sign a pledge on their visa to uphold "Australian values".

Mr Beazley told Labor MPs he would not give ground to John Howard on the issue and said the plan for the formal list of Australian values would help Muslim leaders deal with Muslims who refused to integrate into Australia.

Last night, the managing director of the Australian Tourism Export Council, Matt Hingerty, said Mr Beazley's plan was patently absurd.

"It's unworkable and potentially offensive to tourists coming to Australia," he said.

The Prime Minister said the overwhelming majority of Australians "believe that immigrants who come to this country should fully integrate into the Australian community".

"There should be an intensive effort made to learn the English language and of course there should be a respect for Australian values," the Prime Minister said.

"The particular proposal Mr Beazley put forward suffers from a number of practical flaws and it sounds as though it's been hastily put together on the run.

"There's a real difference between saying to somebody who's visiting Australia for two or three days you've got to sign on to Australian values.

"I visit a lot of countries that have values I wouldn't sign on to in a month of Sundays. I mean that is the reality.

"There are a lot of countries that don't have the democratic practices Australia has."

Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration Andrew Robb, who is drawing up the draft citizenship test, said last night that Mr Beazley seemed unaware that most of the things he referred to were already given in a letter to those coming to Australia as permanent residents.

Mr Robb said a letter from the Government to new migrants stated that Australians supported democratic rights, the rule of law and freedom of religion and that it was illegal to discriminate on the grounds of race, religion or sex.

Mr Robb has already foreshadowed that the citizenship test for new citizens would "help people understand the society they have chosen to be part of; help them be more aware of their roles, their responsibilities, their rights; that it will demonstrate their commitment to Australia".

"It is in their interest, and in the community's interest," he said last night.

Mr Howard said Mr Robb would be releasing a discussion paper on a compulsory citizenship test shortly.

"But the objective has to be the full integration into the Australian community of people who come here and the full embrace of Australian values," he said.