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Citizenship applications across Australia last month were 44 per cent higher thanfor April last year. In Victoria, the number rose by more than 60 per cent.
Immigration sources said the numbers were continuing to run high in May, withapplications for the current financial year having already exceeded totals for thefull year 2005-06.
Since plans for the test were first mooted in September, applications have climbedby 26 per cent nationally and by more than 31 per cent in Victoria.
One official from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship described thefigures as "amazing" in a briefing this week with migrant and refugee grouprepresentatives in Melbourne.
The rush to apply coincides with a continuing debate over the merits of the newtest, which will involve a questions on Australian history, traditions and values.The cost of applying for citizenship will also double, to $240.
The Federal Government plans to introduce legislation revamping the laws in thecurrent session of Parliament, with those applying for citizenship after September 1likely to have to sit the new test.
It also emerged this week that the Government would allocate $29 million over fiveyears for a public information campaign to advertise the new provisions. This wouldbe on top of two recent advertising campaigns that have promoted citizenship,generally, as a means of maintaining Australia's "national identity".
A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said the increased numbers werepleasing. "Obviously, we want people to make that commitment to become citizens,"she said.
The figures show that 11,183 people applied for citizenship across Australia lastmonth and 13,389 in March. Since the test plans were revealed last Septemberapplications have totalled 96,153 Â almost 20,000 more than for the same period lastyear.
The test has been criticised by multicultural bodies, as well as by the prominentLiberal backbencher Petro Georgiou, as discriminating against non-English speakingarrivals in Australia who were potentially model citizens.
The chairman of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, George Lekakis, said therush for citizenship was not surprising. "It's because people feel they will bedisadvantaged when the new test comes in. That is what's causing the panic."
He said the new test would deter many people from applying for citizenship. "It'sclear now more than ever that the Commonwealth Government is not serious aboutuniting Australians, and is more interested in dividing them," he said.
Currently, applicants need to have been permanent residents for two years andunderstand "basic English". Under the new provisions, applicants will be given a Q&Atest of about 30 questions drawn randomly from a list of about 200.
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