澳大利亞公民法案夭折參議院

After a more stringent citizenship bill failed in the Senate Wednesday, the Australian government says it will lower its standard for English language skills in a trade-off for other, tougher citizenship legislation.

Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said on Thursday the government is willing to lower its competency requirement for English language skills to "modest" -- a designation of basic communication skills with many mistakes.

Language skills are not currently tested in the Australian citizenship process although some English is required.

The opposition has said asking applicants to pass a language test had the potential to create an underclass of noncitizens.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull announced plans to abolish a temporary work visa program popular with foreigners and replace it with a new program requiring better English-language and job skills.

Dutton said the government will work with opposition lawmakers to amend the bill, including changing the language requirements.

But opposition leader Bill Shorten suggested the government abandon the bill. "If it's bad for the interests of ordinary people, we won't vote for it,'' Shorten said.澳大利亞一項標準更嚴格的公民法案星期三未能在參議院通過。澳大利亞隨後政府表示，將降低對英文能力的要求，以換取保留其他更嚴格的移民標準。

澳大利亞移民與邊境保護部部長杜敦星期四說，政府願意把對公民的英語能力要求降低到“一般”，意思是可以基本交流，但允許出現很多錯誤。

澳大利亞在審批公民申請的時候不進行英文考試，但是要求具備一定的英文能力。

反對人士說，要求申請人通過語言考試有可能導致出現二等非公民。

今年早些時候，澳大利亞總理特恩布爾宣佈取消外國人青睞的臨時工作簽證，代之以要求具備更強英文能力和工作技能的新計劃。

杜敦說，政府將和持反對意見的議員共同努力，修改法案，包括改變對語言的要求。

但是反對派領袖蕭藤建議政府放棄這一法案。他說：“如果法案不符合普通人的利益，我們不會投贊成票。”