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.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Does anyone remember the John O'Grady books Aussie English and Aussie Etiquette (and a few others). Imagine learning English and then being faced with 'strine'. Picking up my 16yo son yesterday (who is normally quite well spoken) I was informed by him that 'ah feeel dang good, yo!' Indeed.

[azureline**]

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@*mrgrizz* wrote:

funny how they don't bother to learn the language but work the money out pretty fast

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I managed to do that in Italy.......... without knowing a word of Italian......... I don't believe they don't bother.....

[azureline**]

I have a serious hearing/understanding problem with accents.......

It makes no difference if it is Italian, French, Irish, Scottish, Afghan, Indian, Pakistani...... I have to concentrate so hard that it it is embarrassing.

[***super_nova***]

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@*mrgrizz* wrote:

funny how they don't bother to learn the language but work the money out pretty fast

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How many languages do you speak?  Obviously you think that people do not learn English because they "don't bother" not because it is difficult.  Learning new words and grammar is totally different to learning few numbers.

Also in the post war era many people coming to Australia were quite illiterate in their own language, learning another language was too hard for them.  But they were allowed into Australia to do all the manual, dirty and dangerous jobs many Australians did not want to do; who cared if they could read and write....

[cherry*135]

I can use foreign coins and notes in countries where I don't know/speak the language.

1. The notes & coins have numbers on them

2. The items you want to buy have prices (in numbers) on them.

Voila!

[patchoo78]

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@spotweldersfriend wrote:
Tambien estoy de acuerdo.

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Donde estas la cerveza?

[newstart2380]

I think the whole world should speak english so i don't have to carry my translator dictionary with me when I travel

[polksaladallie]

Their boss is very likely to fail the oral test, so can we send him back to England?

[bright.ton42]

the English language is very hard to learn and I have taught it overseas  where I  learnt their language before they learnt

English., though they were wanting to learn it perfectly and I was happy just with the colloquial to get by.    I do think it's a good idea for new younger  arrivals to learn the language to help them  get into the workforce, but the 'older people usually don't need to as they have a supportive family network.