Australia may add ‘values test’ for migrants, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says

Australia may introduce a “values test” for people wanting to become permanent residents, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said.

New criteria would examine migrants’ views on democracy, equality and rule of law to ensure they are compatible with the country at large, he suggested.

“That is certainly one of the issues that we are considering but I have to say to you that we are the most successful multicultural society in the world,” he said in Tasmania on Friday.

“This is a country where 28 per cent of Australians were born outside of Australia – over half have a parent born outside of Australia – but isn’t it remarkable that we live together is so much harmony? Because of the values we share and those Australian values of democracy, freedom, the rule of law, respect for women, equality between men and women.

“All of these values are vitally important and we must never, ever take them for granted and we should always ensure that we maintain them, because that is what creates this extraordinary, successful multicultural society that we have.

“We look around the world – and we should do that from time to time – and you look at all of the tensions and dissent and conflict, you can see what a great achievement 25 million Australians have made.”

The comments came after Alan Tudge, the government’s citizenship and multicultural minister, told an Australia/UK Leadership Forum in London a values test would improve social cohesion. He appeared to criticise European countries for allowing “segregation” to occur.

“Our ship is slightly veering towards a European separatist multicultural model and we want to pull it back to be firmly on the Australian integrated path,” he said.

“Some of the challenges to social cohesion that we are facing today are similar to ones that the UK is facing – such as ethnic segregation, and liberal values being challenged.”

However imposing such a test may not be easy.

The government’s attempts last year to make achieving citizenship harder – including requiring applicants to have lived legally in Australia for four years and the completion of an advanced English language test – were rejected by the country’s senate.