The Australian Government said on Wednesday it would review the administration of a test for would-be citizens after new figures showed that about 10 percent of applicants fail.The test, introduced in October by the conservative Government of then-Prime Minister John Howard, requires all prospective citizens to answer 20 questions on Australian history, politics and values. Applicants must score above 60 percent to pass and can take the computer-based exam as many times as necessary. Such citizenship tests are common in other countries, such as the United States. So far 8,402 people have taken the test a total of 10,636 times, with about 90 percent of applicants passing on their first or subsequent attempts, according to figures released by Immigration Minister Chris Evans.“The government supports the citizenship test. If people are not succeeding, we need to find out why, and how we can help to support them better. It’s all about making the process work better for all concerned,” Evans said on Wednesday.Pro-immigration groups welcomed the announcement, saying the test discriminated against prospective citizens who do not speak fluent English or lack a detailed knowledge of Australian culture.
