Australia Day for New Migrants: What Should you Should Know about Australian Values and Mateship

How hard it could be to become a full Australian?

Apparently, living for decades and just paying taxes is not enough.

To become a candidate for Australian citizenship, an applicant must meet a specific set of criteria before applying.

To meet the residence requirement in Australia, you must fulfill specific criteria. Firstly, to have lived in Australia on a lawful visa for four years without any absence exceeding 12 months.

Besides meeting the residency requirement, applicants for Australian citizenship over 18 must demonstrate 'good character', defined as enduring moral qualities.

In addition to:

*Plan to reside in Australia or stay connected while abroad,

*Have a basic knowledge of the English language and

*Have knowledge about Australia and what it means to be an Australian citizen. To assess this, most applicants will sit the citizenship test.

If you are eligible to become an Australian citizen and are preparing for the citizenship test, you must do your homework.

The Australian citizenship test aims to assess one's knowledge and understanding of what it entails to be an Australian citizen. This includes familiarity with Australia, its people, its symbols, democratic beliefs, rights, liberties, and government structure.

It also involves comprehending how laws are created in Australia and demonstrating a commitment to the nation's core values, which revolve around freedom, respect, and equality.

What Should you Should Know about Australian Values and Mateship

Would-be Australians are increasingly struggling to pass citizenship tests, according to the new data reveals the pass rate during the first year of the Labor government has plummeted to 65 percent between June 2022 and August 2023, with more than 100,000 people having failed the test.

That figure is down from an 80 percent pass rate between 2017-2021.

The test includes 20 multiple-choice questions on democracy, the rule of law, and freedom of speech; and requires a person to correctly answer five questions on Australian values and achieve a mark of at least 75 percent to pass.

The data shows between June 2022 and August 2023, 288,603 tests were completed, but only 187,574 of those passed. Those who have taken tests over the past two years have lived in Australia since at least 2019.

Although the reason behind the lower pass rate remains unclear, it was believed that the last significant changes to the citizenship tests include Australian values in which applicants must answer correctly or they automatically fail.

RELATED ARTICLE: I'm finally an Australian Permanent Resident!

What are the Australian values?

Australian values based on freedom, respect, fairness, and equality of opportunity are central to the Australian community remaining a secure, prosperous, and peaceful place to live. Australian values define and shape the country and they are a reason why so many people want to become Australian citizens. The Australian democratic institutions and shared Australian values have created our peaceful and stable society.

Australian values include:

* respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual

* freedom of religion (including the freedom not to follow a particular religion), freedom of speech, and freedom of association

* commitment to the rule of law, which means that all people are subject to the law and should obey it

* parliamentary democracy whereby our laws are determined by parliaments elected by the people, those laws being paramount and overriding any other inconsistent religious or secular “laws"

* equality of opportunity for all people, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, or national or ethnic origin

* a 'fair go' for all that embraces:

- mutual respect

- tolerance

- compassion for those in need

- equality of opportunity for all

* recognizing the English language as the national language, and as an important unifying element of Australian society.

These values are outlined in the Australian Values Statement (AVS) that visa applicants must sign. When you sign the AVS, you acknowledge those Australian values and undertake to conduct yourself in accordance with these values. The aim of the AVS has been to help new residents understand the values that have helped to create a society that is stable and cohesive but, at the same time, dynamic and diverse. The Australian Government has changed the AVS to make it more meaningful and to reflect the importance we place on the values that define and shape our country and culture.

@blair.villanueva I tried the Australian Citizenship Practice Test just for fun, and see if I could pass with flying colors in one take. 😁🇦🇺🇵🇭 My knowledge about Australia is continously evolving, and watching daily news helps me a lot. I alao found so many clues that will lead you to the right answer, and you will noticed it if you know how to read between the lines. 😁👍 #australiancitizenshiptest #australiancitizenship #australia #becominganaussie #filipinoinaustralia #howto #foryourpage ♬ Pop beat BGM / long version(1283324) - nightbird_bgm

Volunteering as part of Australian values

One of the questions included in the citizenship tests is about how people contribute to the Australian community. The best answer is by volunteering. Volunteering means giving your time and doing something without expecting to be paid for it.

This includes volunteering in your local community activities, fundraising, charity stores, schools, etc. Any means that you can help with the community is an essential part of Australian values.