oi, dickhead! vol2

mood: sort of flat.
state i'm in: worried, too much on this week.
tune: jack johnson "curious george" soundtrack

our current government just keeps on offering us bullshit. this time it is the ill-founded citizenship test, championed by parliamentary secretary for immigration andrew robb, apparently aimed at ensuring migrants are more able to integrate into australian society.

the notion of the test runs in stark contrast to the government's current paradigm on increasing the australian population. with the aid of prime-time advertising, i have been given the impression in the past few years that the government is interested in increasing the nation's population by encouraging migrants to naturalise, and increase the birth rate (remember costello's 'have one for australia' line - i often cringe at the fifties'esque nature of our political environment). australia has a skills shortage, they tell us, and these are ways to address this.

in the current plans for a citizenship test, i see only discouragement for migrants to become australian citizens. why bother to naturalise, when one can enjoy all of the benefits of australia's freedom and social infrastructure, find employment (very few foreigner's qualifications are recognised anyway, even in the trades), or study (fees for permanent residents are no different from those for citizens). there is no test if someone wishes take advantage of what australia offers - nor should there be.

if the aim of the federal government is to encourage integration, this is ultimately a flawed attempt at doing so. it is more likely to maintain a larger class of unnaturalised migrants, languishing on the australian societal fringe, who are further from benefiting from what the policy is aimed at addressing - integration, and access to such things as formal english language training. it will also decrease the chances of addressing the skills shortage we are so often reminded about.

so if a test is to be brought in, what is to be asked of our potential fellow contrymen and -women? if the british test, launched late last year, is anything to go on, can we expect australia-relevant versions of questions along the lines of: "how many young people are there in the UK?", "where are geordie, cockney and scouse dialects spoken?" and "what is the house of lords, and who are its members?" these are actually questions from the british test. similarly, the test for american citizenship involves knowledge of many past american presidents.

so can anyone, without the help of google or wikipedia, tell me what strine dialect is and who speaks it, how many elderly people are in australia, who was the australian prime minister at the commencement of world war II, or what is the role of each of the australian houses of parliament? ok, so potential residents are allowed to research the country before the test, but is all that really necessary?

i don't know about you, but to me this all reeks of white-or-elite-only australia free from 'undesirable' migrants. it will be quite easy for english and western european migrants to gain entry, likewise kiwis, yanks, canucks and south africans. most wealthy asians, eastern europeans and latinos speak english. but what of the poorer people of the non-english speaking world, in particalar those illiterate in their own language? i admit, that a level of english proficiency ought to be strongly encouraged for potential residents, but i don't think this the way to go about it. seems like a policy more directed at local politics than the welfare of migrants, playing on the fear of middle-class australia (oh dear, i think a baby was just thrown overboard!).

i guess i am just growing a little tired of the 'my way or the highway' approach that has become endemic in australia in the last eight to ten years. i wasn't aware that that was the philosophy this nation of immigrants was built upon. i suppose it suits the current 'us-and-them' political mood. so much political and military banter going on in the world now, with the west on one side of the fence (championed by the moronic pope of late), and islam on the other. i am not one to proclaim doomsday, or be pessimistic, but i see a formal clash of civilisations likely (perhaps after the papal visit to turkey in november?). i can't help but wonder how muslims in this country will be treated by the australian government and people in the coming years, and, personally, what it might mean to be in a relationship with one when it comes to such situations as our travelling together.

in closing, i would also like to ask, in addition to the questions listed above, what are australian values? what is the australian way of life? not to lead, but in my opinion, yes, a fair go for all is a part of it, as is inclusion, tolerance of others views and beliefs, and fair and equitable access to all institutions of this society, such as its health and education systems. mr robb's draft policy does include what my idea of what being australian is. perhaps it is just fashionable to have one, to keep undesirables out, much like a metaphorical security fence with an alsatian (mr robb and ms vanstone are fighting for this role) on the other side.

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seven burmese refugees have been flown from christmas island to nauru today. the group were found on ashmore reef - recall recent legislation passed that declares that offshore islands are not australian territory for the sake of refugees' landing. in their home country, as members of the karen ethnic minority, they might have their legs cut off before being killed in the event of their being suspected of being in cahoots with that groups political movement. these poor gents, from a pretty shithouse corner of the world, are now just another part of the "pacific solution" (how nazi does that sound!).

as a result, nauru's population is burgeoning, and they no longer have to rely on birdshit for livelihood. "thanks uncle johnny, for everything" they must be saying. and thanks uncle johnny, from the australian people, for affording us the privilege of no longer having to give a fuck about refugees and the plight of those in more unfortunate parts of the world. makes me feel less guilty when i spend my money on shitty consumables :-)

in all honesty however, i must commend the government for agreeing to take more burmese refugees over the coming years from thai camps. just a shame the ones that make it here have to endure more pain and stress than is warranted.