CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
TO THE CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY IN WOODVILLE
ADELAIDE 1 AUGUST 1985
Lord Mayor, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you for the opportunity to be with you tonight to
participate in this most important ceremony.
Those people who have received citizenship tonight come
from very diverse backgrounds and from every continent
on earth. Their act of commitment has been witnessed by
members of their families, representatives of almost
every ethnic organisation in SI-ith Australia, and by the
community at large.
I congratulate those taking this step. Through this act
of commitment you have t's-e opportunity to become fully
participating members of Australian society. We are
proud to count you now as Australians.
You will be eligible to obtain an Australian passport
and receive the protection that this affords around the
world. Importantly, you will become eligible to vote
and participate in the democratic processes. Maybe some
of you may wish to join the Public Service or stand for
election to State or Federal Parliament. Indeed one of
you may aspire to take over my job as Prime Minister of
this country. All of these avenues are open to you.
You h ave become citizens under the Australian
Citizenship Act an Act which provides the basis for
the citizenship of all Australians regardless of their
oriqgin, culture or linguistic background. Under that
Act people can become citizens by birth in Australia, by
descent through birth of a child tc an Australian parent
living overseas, or by applying to become a citizen anu'
electing to take part in a ceremony such as this one
here tonight.
My Government has taken steps to ensure that the
legislation does not discriminate between persons on the
basis of tneir sex, mar: ital status or present or
previous nationality; we have also provided for review
by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal of decisions to
refuse citizenship under the Act; and are making sure
policy in this area is thoroughly Australian in
character. We aim to encourage new settlers to become
fully participating members of our society as soon as
possible. We have reduced the residential requirement
from 3 to 2 years and have eased the English language
requirement from an adequate to a basic knowledge of
English. From my earliest time of thinking about our ' great
country I have judged much of that greatness, and
potential for greatness, to be associated with our
readiness to open up our land to those who would join us
from other countries.
Australia has been immeasurably enriched by the
contribution of immigrants to our national life. One of
our nation's greatest achievements has been its
acceptance of a wide and diverse range of people,
regardless of race, religion or ethnic background.
The fundamental principle of my Government's migration
-program is that migration should continue to enrich our
lives and bring social, cultural and economic benefits
to our nation.
This will only occur if the program is carefully
designed and well managed.
First of all as a-responsible and humanitarian memPber ' of
the world community, Australia has a 6Iuty to make an
appropriate contribution to the resolution of the world
refugee situation.
Secondly we have obligations to those Australians in our
community who are separated from their immediate family
( that is spouses, dependent children and aged parents,)
and want to bring them here to join the family group.
For the rest, potential migrants must be selected on the
basis of their l* ikely contribution to Australian society
if we are to maximise benefit, aid ou * r economic recovery
and make immigration more acceptable to the Australian
community.
As more than one million people express an interest to
migrate to this country every year we have to make
choices carefully.
~ 1. j Our target level of immigration for 1985/ 86 is about
84,000. At a time of unacceptably high-unemployment
this level would not be responsible if it only added new
migrants to unemployment queues and reduced job
opportunities for the unemployed in Australia.
To avoid this, selection is oriented towards those
applicants most likely to find productive employment in
Australia without competing with the unemployed for
jobs. The increase in migration, therefore, in 1985/ 86 is
focused on the economic categories skilled labour,
employer nominees and business migrants.
I believe that we will be able to increase migration
levels further in the longer term as economic recovery
strengthens, but only if we are selective and ensure
that the program is structured in the short term to be
of maximum benefit to our nation.
I am firmly convinced that a sensitive and carefully
managed migration program of this kind will cointribute
to economic recovery and continue to enrich our society
and our culture.
In this recjprd, my Government believes that it is vital
-that there be specially designed programs for new
arrivals to settle successfully in this country. Since
coming to office we have examined many of the programs
which are provided for new settlers to ensure that they
provide the best possible assistance for those in need.
For instance we have increased the Grant-in-aid scheme
to ethnic community organisations; extended thc a6ult
migrant education program as well as those programs
especially designed for migrant school children, and
boosted the interpreter/ translator services. A review
of all aspects of the adult migrant education program is
now under way.
We have done all this against the background of a keen
appreciation that the commitment to this country our new
citizens are making their full-identification with
this nation imposes obligations and responsibilities
on all of us.
The commitment of citizenship we have witnessed tonight
is important for the health of the nation and is
necessary for full participation in the Australian
community. On behalf of all Australians I welcome you as new
citizens and hope that you are able to contribute as
much to this country as the generations of migrants that
have gone before you.