Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Allan Tudge issued a press release and called claims of University level English requirement “deliberately false and wrong.”
He says that Federal government believes that modest English comprehension is fundamental to participate fully in community and ensure social cohesion.
Which Mr Tudge says “is not ‘university level’ English, as Labor misleadingly claims. Rather, it is conversational English whereby many mistakes will still be made.”
What this time Federal Government has suggested is that people reach a modest ‘Level 5’ standard of English before becoming a citizen.
The definition of Level 5 English, according to the International English Language Testing System, is a person who:
“…has a partial command of the language and copes with overall meaning in most situations, although they are likely to make many mistakes.”
Minister Tudge also pressed that It few points in Federal Government's new proposal:
• Would not impact existing citizens;
• Would not apply retrospectively;
• Would not apply to people above the age of 60 or below the age of 16. There are also exemptions for those with learning difficulties; and
• Funding is available for people to do English language courses.
He says the purpose of these changes is that government wants every new citizen to thrive in Australia.
Minister Tudge also said “We want to ensure that we maintain our successful multicultural community. To do this, a modest level of English is important.”
