Labor criticism of English test ‘a low blow’, says Peter Dutton

Peter Dutton has accused Labor of sinking to the ‘lowest depths’ in its attack on the planned citizenship shake-up.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has accused Labor of sinking to the “lowest depths” to attack the Turnbull government’s citizenship shake-up after it questioned why some “white countries” were exempt from a tougher English language test.

Opposition immigration spok­es­man Tony Burke has argued the government’s language test was too hard and would require university-level English skills, yesterday questioning why exemptions were offered only to “five white countries where English is an ­official language”.

Mr Dutton slammed the objection and the reference to “white countries”, saying the ability to ­exempt Britain, US, New Zealand, Canadian and Irish passport holders from the language test existed when Labor was in government.

“(Mr Burke) today went to the lowest depths to try and explain the embarrassing backdown to ­appease Labor’s left on these sensible reforms,” Mr Dutton said.

“This is hypocrisy. Those countries are exactly the same that were included during Labor’s time in government for competent ­English assessments for migration purposes.”

The exchange reignited the political hostilities over the government’s citizenship reform, with Labor amassing 30,000 signatures in an online petition aimed at shutting down the changes.

The opposition is also opposed to the extension of the permanent residency requirement from one to four years.

Mr Burke argues it would create a permanent class ­of people who would be ­denied ­the chance of ever becoming Australians.

He also told parliament the ­Immigration Department had briefed him on the shake-up and confirmed the government’s changes were not recommended by any security or intelligence agency, including the AFP and ASIO.

Citizenship spokesman for the Nick Xenophon Team, Stirling Griff, said he still had concerns with the legislation, particularly in relation to the English language test.

Without movement from the crossbench, the changes will be unable to pass the Senate given the opposition of Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team. But Mr Dutton said the government made “no apologies for setting high expectations in our national interest”.

“Australia has changed a lot over the years, as has the nature of employment,” he said. “There is no denying that English language is crucial for integration, employment participation and settlement outcomes.”

Mr Burke warned the government’s changes would sow division rather promote integration and represented a “huge and fundamental change”.