PM talks of ‘values’ test

MALCOLM Turnbull says the Federal Government is considering a “values” test for people seeking permanent residency in Australia.

However, he talked down suggestions from Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge that Australia is veering towards a “separatist multicultural model”. Mr Turnbull said the values test was “one of the issues” the Government was considering.

“But I have to say to you we are the most successful multicultural society in the world,” he said in northern Tasmania.

Mr Tudge told the Australia/UK Leadership Forum in London it was time to pull the nation back to be “firmly on the Australian integrated path”.

Australia and the UK were facing similar challenges to social cohesion and liberal values, including ethnic segregation, the minister said.

Mr Tudge said a proposed English language skills test for those seeking permanent residency should be extended to include a values assessment.

The current system requiring people to sign a values statement before coming to Australia wasn’t enough because their pledge couldn’t be assessed, he said.

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese criticised Mr Tudge’s speech.

“It’s pretty odd that an Australian government minister goes to the UK and talks our country down,” he said.