G-G blasts citizen tests

Former governor-general Sir William Deane has joined the attack on plans for citizenship tests based on Australian culture and values.

He said national values and principles should be discussed, but said they should not form the basis of citizenship tests.

And Australia's multicultural society should be seen as the nation's "greatest achievement", not "damned with lip-service while undermining the mutual respect which lies at its heart".

Sir William opened the National Civil Society Dialogue in Canberra yesterday, on the theme "What kind of Australia do we want?". He said there should be considerable public discussion on the identity and importance of national values, principles and characteristics in Australia. But the values should not be used for tests, such as the citizenship tests the federal Government has been considering for immigrants.

"There are values and principles of great importance, not so much for framing tests of exclusion from our society, but for defining and informing the standards and as reference points for the policies and actions of those within our society," he said.

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