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Thursday June 20, 2013

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Should English become mandatory?

Posted by: 2UE | 24 January, 2013 - 3:33 PM
Warnings come from world leaders over the future of multiculturalism

Should it be compulsory to speak English if immigrating to Australia? Accents are not an issue, but an ability to communicate. Jason Morrison on why it is not a requirement, and why we lack backbone.


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Blog comments Your Say

  • jason, your comments are 100% correct i for one are sick of these groups laughing at our laws and us.

    lindsay ball Monday 28 January, 2013 - 6:05 PM

  • Jason asked the question. Carmen said the reason why.

    Liberator Sunday 27 January, 2013 - 10:55 AM

  • Is this the burning issue of the moment? How many people are challenging the position of English that we now have to consider making English mandatory? Let's crank it up a bit so we get a few more redneck loonies on this forum!

    Everyone (who has studied) knows that English IS mandatory in Australia. The reality is that new non-English speaking immigrants become desperate to improve their English in their desire to progress quickly in their new society. Statistics will show a large segment of immigrants actually lose fluency in their language of birth after living here for a generation. Even if they don't lose it completely, for a large majority of them English gradually becomes their first language. So any notion of threat to English is far-fetched.

    Jason must be having a hard time finding issues now that the fear campaign against carbon pricing and the PM�s character have run their course. This is a non-issue raised with malicious intent just as another one Jason is running with at the same time where we are asked the absurd question: "Halal food being sold in every store?" What a revelation!

    Terrence Saturday 26 January, 2013 - 12:32 PM

  • What a stupid question! Give it a bit more air Jason. How about "Should immigrants be allowed to not speak english?" Let's crank it up a bit so we get a few more redneck loonies on this forum!

    Everyone (who has studied) knows that English IS mandatory in Australia. New non-english speaking arrivals fall head over heels to learn english in their desperation to progress quickly in their new society. Statistics will show that a large segment of immigrants actually lose fluency in their birth language after living here for a few years. Even if they don't lose it completely, for a large majority of them English becomes the first language over time.

    There is no issue here, except in the minds of those who want to stir things up for partisan politics. It is put up with the same intent as another absurd one which asks "Halal food being sold in every store?" What a revelation!

    Terrence Saturday 26 January, 2013 - 12:54 AM

  • Mmm, is it politically correct and discriminative to not look after the real Australian? Well like many Australians I too feel that today we are so busy looking after every ethnic and not our own that it is really discrimination against the anglo saxon Australian. They arrive on our shores illegally but receive everything on a sliver platter, housing, pension and more than just your average pension but more money because they are a refugee and then money to help buy a house. So why would they need to go out and learn English because there is no need, they do need to go out and earn a living because we do that for them.
    In their first year of residing here in this wonderful country of ours it should be compulsory to take English lessons.
    I am tired of going to Woolworths or Coles and listening to the staff speak in a foreign tongue, I have no idea what they are saying and if they are saying anything negative.
    Unfortunately Dick Smith can not air his advertisement because it could offend some, well I find their ignorance towards us and their rudeness for not taking the time to speak our language extremely offensive.
    When attending TAFE to learn the language we Australians speak they should be made to assimilate with the broader community and get rid of their negative and ultra religious beliefs.

    GinX Friday 25 January, 2013 - 6:48 PM

  • Yes. It should be compulsory to LEARN in English. Having said that, I don't object with tax payers funding the classes.

    Liberator Friday 25 January, 2013 - 8:41 AM

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