Lawmaker Calls for Higher Citizenship Bar

A lawmaker in Prime Minister John Howard’s conservative government recommended tightening Australia’s citizenship requirements, saying the national identity was under threat.

Andrew Robb, the parliamentary secretary for immigration, released a discussion paper recommending that all would-be citizens pass a compulsory test assessing their English skills and knowledge of Australian history, values and customs.

The prime minister has already expressed his support for a possible bill, saying that “cultural diversity should never come at the expense of ... national identity.”