So now the Liberals want migrants to pass an English test.

[i-need-a-martini]

Mr Morrison said the English language and jobs for immigrants, not festivals, were the keys to ensuring Australia's prosperity and unity. Australia needed more than a one-off snapshot of immigrants' English proficiency and follow-up tests could ensure language skills did not remain static.

With a big shift from permanent immigration to temporary visas, Mr Morrison said: ''There is a great opportunity to have a series of barriers, if you like - a temporary entry [test], a permanent residence and potentially even citizenship, if people want to have that conversation.'' When prompted, he would not not commit to making English a precondition for citizenship.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/morrison-harks-to-integration-20130717-2q4m...

Another Liberal politician who's mouth spews forth gardbage before his brain cogs start working.

[a_dingo_ate_my_chinwagger]

What I think is cruel about them is that we let them settle in to some extent but refuse to allow them permanent security. Kids start school and start to get a life but it's all temporary.  They can wake up one day and be told they are no longer welcome here, time to go back.

Yes, I appreciate your argument freaki, but these people are seeking refuge from a bad situation. They experience a very bad situation here in detention camps by all accounts and  think on balance, that it is better to spend a few months or years in the Australian community than it is to spend a similar amount of time in detention.

For both situations the outcome will be the same. If they are found to be genuine refugees then refuge here is granted and if not they are sent home (where possible) But for one group, that time here is spent in detention while for the other, they are free to live free in the community until their case is decided.

What would you choose if you were in their position?

[whispering_chinwaggers_are_calling_me]

Thought about my posts above.

It might appear that I demand Australians to speak english. I don't.

I try to raise awareness that if you talk to a foreigner in australian and mumble into your beard while there is alot of background noise, do not be surprised when the foreigners just nodds and smiles.

I guess you have every right in your own country to speak an unintelligible abomination of the english language as it is your country. Just don't be huffed when they can't understand you as you demanded them to speak ENGLISH.

When we filled out my visa application there was a question about my ENGLISH language skills. We both thought my skills were more than sufficient so I didn't go to the ENGLISH classes. If they had said: how good are you in understanding and speaking Australian, I probably wouldn't have dismissed that question but went to an Australian language class.