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Australian citizenship test – what are budgie smugglers?

If there’s one thing that any self respecting Aussie should know, it is how many slabs you can fit in the back of a Falcon Ute while also allowing room for your cattle dog.

At least, this is the first question of an Australian citizenship test circulating the internet, complete with the Australian Government Department for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs letterhead.

When the Australian Government proposed the idea of tests for people applying for Australian citizenship in September 2006 – a spoof popped up on the internet within hours, receiving coverage from the mainstream press.

The test covers the most important aspects of the “Australian way of life”, asking questions such as:
Which option describes your ideal summer afternoon?
a) Drinking beer at a mate's place
b) Drinking beer at the beach
c) Drinking beer watching the cricket/footy
d) Drinking beer at a mate's place while watching the cricket before going to the beach?

It calls on people’s knowledge of Australian history, such as “Which Australian Prime Minister held the world record for drinking a yardie full of beer the fastest?”, and “How many cans of beer did David Boon consume on a plane trip from Australia to England?”

Familiarity of traditional Australian music is also a must: “Can you sing along to Cold Chisel's Khe Sanh?”

It is important that those applying for citizenship also have an understanding of Australian fashion trends.  The test asks: “Do you or have you ever had a mullet?”; “On which Ashes tour did Warney’s hair look best?” and “What are budgie smugglers?”

Geography is also tested: “How many stubbies is it from Brissie to the Gold Coast in a Torana travelling at 120km/h?”

And finally, the intricacies of Australian cuisine: “When you apply tomato sauce to your pie, do you (1) squirt and spread with your finger or (2) inject straight into the middle.”

Leah Craven

Links

The hoax test
www.bogan.com.au/docs/APPLICATIONFORAUSTCITIZENSHIP.pdf

The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20493635-31501,00.html

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