Controversial Citizenship Changes

The Turnbull government’s controversial changes to Australia’s citizenship laws remain dead in the water, with the Nick Xenophon Team showing no signs of backing the government’s proposal.

The NXT said in September it could not support the changes, which in their current form include increasing waiting times from one to four years before permanent residents can apply for citizenship, tougher English-language requirements and additional powers for the immigration minister.

Labor and the Greens had already announced their opposition, making the NXT’s three Senate votes crucial. But the party’s federal leader, Nick Xenophon, said the government needed to scrap the bill and start again.
 
Peter Dutton concedes he will need to rethink English test in citizenship overhaul.
 
“Our position hasn’t changed,” he said before the return of parliament on Monday. “We can’t support it in its current form. The bill needs to be redrawn.
“We are willing to sit down with the government and work with them, but this legislation has caused a lot of anxiety among ethnic communities around the country, and while I am sure that wasn’t what was intended, it is not something we can support.”

Source: The Guardian

Further details about the amendment can be found on the Australian Parliament of Australia web site