Tomorrow’s the day

October 1 heralds the unveiling of the real, honest-to-goodness Citizenship Test which the current government says will decide just who qualifies for a run at the goal of Australian citizenship.

I’ve resisted blogospheric urge to postulated the makeup of said test until now, but I figure, with less than a day to go, why not have a punt.

1. In what year did Federation take place?
2. Which day of the year is Australia Day?
3. Who was the first Prime Minister of Australia?
4. What is the first line of Australia’s national anthem?
5. What is the floral emblem of Australia?
6. What is the population of Australia?
7. In what city is the Parliament House of the Commonwealth Parliament located?
8. Who is the Queen’s representative in Australia?
9. How are Members of Parliament chosen?
10. Who do Members of Parliament represent?
11. After a federal election, who forms the new government?
12. What are the colours on the Australian flag?
13. Who is the head of the Australian Government?
14. What are the three levels of government in Australia?
15. In what year did the European settlement of Australia start?
16. Serving on a jury if required is a responsibility of Australian citizenship: true or false?
17. In Australia, everyone is free to practise the religion of their choice, or practise no religion: true of false?
18. To be elected to the Commonwealth Parliament you must be an Australian citizen: true or false?
19. As an Australian citizen, I have the right to register my baby born overseas as an Australian citizen: true or false?
20. Australian citizens aged 18 years or over are required to enrol on the electoral register: true or false?

Twenty questions. How hard can it be? I dare say the formal article won’t be open book, although I’m damned if I know why it wouldn’t / shouldn’t be. To become a duly licenced finance broker didn’t require me to sit in a closeted room without resource material, and the 31 lenders who’ll gladly take my proposals on behalf of clients aren’t as picky. Does this mean that because I was born in Oz, I automatically qualify to rip people off financially because I passed an open book test or three? Seems rather senseless to me. Even W.A.’s legislation, which is confusingly disparate, doesn’t ask whether you’re an Aussie born or licenced.
So, let’s have a crack. I promise I have no second tab open on Google or like database.

1. 1901
2. 26 January
3. Watson
4. “Australian’s all let us rejoice”
5. Wattle
6. 21 million
7. Canberra
8. Governor-General
9. democratic election every three years
10. the people of Australia
11. The Party or Parties who achieve a majority of democratically elected representatives
12. red, white and blue
13. Prime Minister
14. Local, State and Federal
15. 1788
16. true
17. true
18. true
19. true
20. false

Let’s see how I did. The answers can be found here.
Well, it seems I fluffed #3; and #20. I also find questions #10 and #20 to be somewhat subjective, but this isn’t the real test anyway, so why whinge. On the subject of #20, if enrolment is a requirement, how come many people simply don’t bother, for no penalty? ‘Requirement’ implies ‘must do or else’, doesn’t it?
Anyway, do I pass? Likely not because there’s only 20 questions. Gad, I’d be cast out to the wilderness! Not to worry though, I’d have plenty of company, I suspect.