Citizenship test: An ACT idea a decade in the making

ACT Leader David Seymour is welcoming Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden’s announcement that a new citizenship test will be introduced for people applying for New Zealand citizenship by grant.

“On Sunday, alongside other immigration policies, I said that new citizens should understand and affirm the values that make this country worth joining," says Mr Seymour.

“It’s not a new idea. Since 2016, I’ve argued new migrants should understand a simple proposition: in New Zealand, regardless of your gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or religion, you have the same legal rights as everybody else.

“Nearly a decade later, ACT has got it over the line.

“Brooke van Velden is adding real weight and meaning to the citizenship process. Applicants will now be asked to show they understand the responsibilities and privileges of becoming a New Zealander.

“Questions will cover basic knowledge of New Zealand law, including the Bill of Rights. That means understanding equal rights regardless of sex or race, free speech, religious freedom, and democratic principles.

“These values are fundamental to the New Zealand way of life. For too long, politicians have taken these foundations for granted, or worse, apologised for them. But each generation should understand them, defend them, and pass them on.

“New Zealand is a nation built by people who came here to build better lives. We can remain open to the world, but openness only works when we are confident about the values that make it possible.

“This citizenship test says: welcome to New Zealand. Here are the freedoms you inherit, the responsibilities you accept, and the democratic society you are now part of. That is how a confident country welcomes new citizens.”