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Loyalty to Australia

AUSTRALIAN VALUES In the real test, every values question must be correct.

In the citizenship pledge, Australian citizens pledge their loyalty to Australia and its people. Australian citizens may also hold the citizenship of another country or countries if the laws of those countries allow. This is known as dual, or multiple, citizenship. However, even if a person is also a citizen of another country, an Australian citizen within Australia must follow all Australian laws at all times. Some Australian laws must also be followed by Australian citizens even when they are overseas. For example, it’s illegal for Australians to be involved in any sexual activity, here or overseas, with a child under 16 years of age.

Australian society is based on our shared obligations not to undermine Australia’s interests and security. For example, using social media to share official government secrets would be undermining Australia’s interests. Similarly, promoting distrust in and fear of an ethnic community would damage Australian community relations.

In Australia, we come together in times of crisis and take care of each other in good times and bad. During Australia’s devastating bushfire season of 2019-20, which resulted in the loss of life, property and wildlife, and environmental destruction, many multicultural communities worked to collect money, clothes and food donations to help people affected by the bushfires. For example, members of the Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodian communities in Victoria collected donations at shopping centres and fundraised through local community group events, and members of the Sikh community donated thousands of bottles of water to communities and firefighters in Queensland.

Test yourself on this topic

12 questions on this topic, each with the answer explained.

  1. 1. A man wants to spread fear and distrust of one ethnic community in his town. What would the effect of this be?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • It would be protected as an act of loyalty
    • It would strengthen Australia's national security
    • It would damage Australian community relations
    • It would help that community integrate faster

    Explanation: Stirring up fear or distrust of an ethnic group harms the relationships that hold Australian communities together.

  2. 2. A new citizen is told about Australia's devastating bushfire season of 2019-20. What did that season result in?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • Loss of life, property and wildlife, and environmental damage
    • A shortage of clean drinking water in every Australian state
    • Damage to many houses but no harm at all to native wildlife
    • The closing of all Australian schools for a full calendar year

    Explanation: The 2019-20 bushfires killed people and wildlife, destroyed property and caused great environmental damage.

  3. 3. A severe flood destroys homes in a country town. How do Australians behave at such times?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • They come together and take care of each other
    • They wait for other countries to send in help
    • They leave each state to look after its own people
    • They expect affected families to manage on their own

    Explanation: In a crisis Australians pull together and look after one another, in good times and bad.

  4. 4. A worker is tempted to post official government secrets on social media. How would this be viewed in Australia?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • As undermining Australia's interests
    • As acceptable if the post is deleted later
    • As a normal use of social media by workers
    • As acceptable if no money is paid to him

    Explanation: Putting official government secrets online works against Australia's interests and breaks a shared obligation.

  5. 5. An Australian citizen travelling overseas is told that sexual activity with a 15-year-old is allowed in that country. What does Australian law say?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • It is illegal, here or overseas, with a child under 16
    • It is illegal only inside Australian territory
    • It is legal if the young person agrees to it
    • It is legal overseas if the local country permits it

    Explanation: Australians break Australian law by any sexual activity with a child under 16, whether at home or abroad.

  6. 6. Elena becomes an Australian citizen and also keeps the citizenship of her birth country. What is this arrangement called?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • Conditional residency status
    • Shared regional nationality
    • Temporary national status
    • Dual, or multiple, citizenship

    Explanation: Holding Australian citizenship together with citizenship of another country is known as dual or multiple citizenship.

  7. 7. Leila reads about the 2019-20 bushfires in her citizenship class. How did many multicultural communities respond?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • They asked the government to relocate the towns
    • They campaigned to change Australia's fire laws
    • They arranged holidays overseas for the firefighters
    • They collected money, clothes and food donations

    Explanation: Communities from many backgrounds gathered money, clothing and food for the people hit by the fires.

  8. 8. Pedro would like to keep his original citizenship after he becomes an Australian citizen. When is this possible?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • It is never possible under any circumstances
    • Only if both of his parents were born here
    • If the laws of that other country allow it
    • Only if he never travels to that country again

    Explanation: Australia allows citizens to hold another citizenship as well, provided the other country's own laws permit it.

  9. 9. Ravi asks his citizenship class what obligations everyone in Australia shares. What are people obliged not to do?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • Not to undermine Australia's interests and security
    • Not to travel abroad without official permission
    • Not to join community or religious organisations
    • Not to speak any language other than English

    Explanation: A shared obligation of life in Australia is to avoid acting against the country's interests and its security.

  10. 10. Sam is preparing for his citizenship ceremony. In the citizenship pledge, what do Australian citizens pledge?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • Their loyalty to their own state government
    • Their loyalty to Australia and its people
    • Their loyalty to a political party of their choice
    • Their loyalty to the country where they were born

    Explanation: The pledge is a promise of loyalty to Australia and to the people of Australia.

  11. 11. Tomas travels overseas and assumes that Australian law no longer applies to him at all. Is he right?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • Yes, Australian law stops at the border in every case
    • Yes, provided he returns home within twelve months
    • No, some Australian laws still apply while overseas
    • No, but Australian law applies to him again only on his return

    Explanation: Certain Australian laws follow citizens abroad and must still be obeyed outside the country.

  12. 12. Yuki is a citizen of Australia and of another country, and she lives in Sydney. Which laws must she follow while she is in Australia?

    AUSTRALIAN VALUES
    • Only laws that apply to citizens born in Australia
    • Only the laws of her other country of citizenship
    • Only the Australian laws that she agrees with
    • All Australian laws, at all times, without exception

    Explanation: Holding a second citizenship changes nothing: in Australia every citizen must obey all Australian laws.

From Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, the official booklet