Australia: The Dictation Test Redux?

Abstract

In its late colonial history and early years as an independent nation, Australia practised a policy of ruthless exclusion of immigrants on the basis of race by means of a language test: the notorious Dictation Test. In the 50 years following World War II, Australia adopted policies encouraging immigration with bipartisan political support. However, following the election of John Howard as Prime Minister in 1996, immigration was again politicised in the context of the emergence of an anti-immigrant right wing populist movement, which threatened Howard's political base. This, plus the security anxieties following 9/11 and heightened intergroup tensions within Australia itself, led to a renewal of discourses of national belonging and exclusion. One result was the introduction of a new linguistically demanding citizenship test in 2007, again with bipartisan support. The role of language testers in the light of such policy developments is considered.

Notes

¹See http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/statistical-info/visa-grants/index.htm, last accessed on 20 March, 2008.

³ http://www.citizenship.gov.au/test/eligibility/index.htm, accessed on 21st March, 2008.

²No information is readily publicly available as to which testing agency may have been responsible for the creation of the test.

⁵Cited at http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41237.

⁴ Sydney Morning Herald, http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/ bradman-out-for-duck-in-test/2008/01/28/1201369038752.html, accessed 23 July 2008.

⁶ The Age, Melbourne, 30 May, 2008, http://www.theage.com.au/national/citizenship-test-may-not-be-legal-20080529-2jju.html, accessed 1 November, 2008.

⁷‘Citizenship test fails review’, Herald-Sun newspaper, Melbourne, 15 June, 2008, at http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23866862-661,00.html, accessed 23 July 2008.