Australian citizenship test · Our Common Bond chapter 4 · 6 min read
Chapter 4: Australian values
The Rule of Law, parliamentary democracy, the freedoms and their limits, equality under the law, a fair go, mutual respect, mateship, English, keeping society safe and loyalty to Australia. Study notes for the five values questions you must all get right.
Why this chapter matters
This is the part of the booklet with the strictest rule on test day. Five of the 20 questions are on Australian values, and you must answer all five correctly. If you miss even one, you fail, however well you do on the other fifteen. Read this chapter until you can explain each value in your own words and apply it to an everyday situation.
Australian values rest on freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity. Australian laws apply to everyone in Australia, whatever their background or culture.
Commitment to the Rule of Law
- Everyone is protected by the law, and laws keep society peaceful and orderly.
- No person or group is above the law.
- Everyone should obey the law at all times, or face penalties, and should follow it even if no one is watching.
Parliamentary democracy
Laws are made by parliaments that the people elect, so citizens take part in how the country is run. Compulsory voting shows how important it is to take part in elections.
Freedom of speech
- People may express ideas freely within the law, meet to discuss social or political matters, and say and write what they think. Newspapers, television and radio have the same freedom.
- Peaceful protest against the government is allowed; tolerating it is vital to a democracy.
- Promoting violence against a person or group, for example because of culture, ethnicity, religion or background, is never acceptable. It is also illegal to make false allegations or to encourage others to break the law.
Freedom of association
People may join or leave any lawful group voluntarily, and cannot be forced to join or leave. Protests must be lawful: peaceful, with no injury to people and no damage to property.
Freedom of religion
- There is no official religion; people may follow any religion or none, and the government treats all beliefs equally.
- Religious laws have no legal status. Everyone must follow Australian law, even where it differs from religious law.
- Polygamy (being married to more than one person at once) and forced marriage are illegal and can lead to prison.
- Religious intolerance is not acceptable.
Equality of all people under the law
- Equal rights apply regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, race, or national or ethnic origin. No one gets preferential treatment, and no one is discriminated against. For example, Buddhists and people of every faith are treated the same as Christians.
- Two people can marry, including two men or two women.
- Men and women have equal rights and equal access to education and work; both can vote, stand for parliament, join the Defence Force and the police, and are treated equally in court. Discrimination because of gender is against the law. If a woman is better qualified for a job, it is her right to get it ahead of a man.
- Each person makes their own choices about personal matters such as marriage and religion, and is protected from intimidation and violence.
- Violence against a spouse or partner is never acceptable and is a crime.
- Divorce is accepted. Either spouse may apply, even if the other wants the marriage to continue.
Equality of opportunity and a 'fair go'
- Everyone deserves a fair go, without class distinctions.
- What a person achieves should come from hard work and talent. A job should go to the person with the best skills and experience, not because of gender, wealth or ethnicity.
- Many migrants have become leaders in business, the professions, the arts, public service and sport.
Mutual respect and tolerance
- Respect the freedom, dignity, opinions and choices of others. Listen and respect views that differ from your own, and be tolerant where you disagree.
- Violence of any kind, verbal or physical, is illegal. Australians believe in peaceful disagreement and everyone's right to be safe from violence and intimidation.
- The age of sexual consent is 16 or 17, depending on the state or territory, and the laws are very strict.
- Support the lawful actions of the police and obey their lawful requests.
- Racism has no place in Australia, including racially offensive material online and racial abuse in public or at sporting events.
Our community
| Value | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Making a contribution | Everyone living in Australia is expected to take part and contribute, and to support themselves and their families when they can |
| Compassion and mateship | Helping others in need: a meal for an elderly neighbour, a lift to a medical appointment, visiting someone sick or lonely; volunteering |
| English as the national language | English unites society and matters for education, work and social cohesion. People should try to learn it, and citizenship applicants must undertake to make reasonable efforts if it is not their first language |
| Keeping society safe | Report a suspected plan for a serious crime to the authorities quickly; report child abuse to the police; cyber abuse such as online stalking, sharing sexual images without consent or online racial abuse is not accepted and often illegal |
| Loyalty to Australia | Citizens pledge loyalty to Australia. Dual citizenship is possible if the other country allows it, but in Australia all Australian laws apply at all times. Some laws apply overseas too: sexual activity with a child under 16 is illegal for Australians anywhere. Do not undermine Australia's interests, for example by leaking official secrets or stirring up fear of an ethnic community |
Australians come together in hard times. During the 2019-20 bushfires, many multicultural communities collected money, clothes, food and water for people and firefighters affected.
Exam tip: many of our values questions are short scenarios. Ask yourself which answer respects the law, treats people equally and rejects violence. Culture, religion, family pressure or "no one is watching" never make an unlawful act acceptable.
Check yourself
- Why does missing one values question matter so much?
- What is the legal status of religious laws in Australia?
- Name two limits on freedom of speech.
- Who may apply for a divorce?
- Give two examples of mateship.
FAQ
Are the values questions harder than the others? Not necessarily, but the rule is strict: all five must be right. Careful reading matters more than speed.
Will the real test show which questions are the values questions? The official pages do not say. Our practice tests know which five they are, so your result can check the all-five rule.
Does the values part overlap with Part 2? Yes. Part 2 lists Australia's democratic beliefs, rights and liberties, and Part 4 turns many of them into values with practical examples. Study both, but give Part 4 extra attention.
Practise this part on its own in the Australian values drill, or start Australian citizenship practice test 1.
Based on the testable section of Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, Part 4, Department of Home Affairs (Commonwealth of Australia 2020, CC BY 4.0). Written in our own words; read the official booklet before your test.