CITIZENSHIP TESTING TO OPEN IN MORWELL
September 29, 2009
Citizenship testing will be available at Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE from October 1, 2009.
Locals previously had to travel to Dandenong to undertake the test, which is required to obtain Australian citizenship.
The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester took the case to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, seeking to have citizenship testing provided in Gippsland.
He received confirmation this week that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will be conducting citizenship testing in the Latrobe Valley, after meeting with the Gippsland Migrant Resource Centre.
“The Department of Immigration and Citizenship will come to the Latrobe Valley on October 14 to conduct a public information session to discuss the changes to the citizenship test,” Mr Chester said.
“A revised citizenship test will be introduced on October 19, 2009, and those who need to sit the test would benefit from attending.
“Provided there is enough local interest, the Department will then offer locals the opportunity to sit their citizenship test in Morwell on November 5, 2009.”
Mr Chester said he would continue to pursue for tests to be conducted in the east of the region.
“It should be possible to also establish a testing facility in East Gippsland to encourage more people from the eastern region to take up Australian citizenship,” Mr Chester said.
“Our region’s history has been shaped by the contributions of many people who were born in foreign lands and we continue to benefit from the contributions immigrants make to our society.
“The government should be making citizenship testing more accessible to reduce the time and cost involved for families involved.”