English language in Australia

[Happy]

From ABC September 1, 2006
PM stands by Muslim integration comments
By Conor Duffy for The World Today
Prime Minister John Howard has restated his view that Australian Muslims need to learn English and treat women as equals, in order to fit in with Australian community values.
Mr Howard's comments on a talkback radio station made national headlines this morning, with the Prime Minister accused of singling out Muslims.
He was quoted as saying that Muslim migrants need to make a greater effort to embrace Australian values, treat women as equals and make a better attempt to learn English.
As he opened a new school building in his own Sydney electorate of Benelong this morning, Mr Howard said he stood by his comments.
"It's wrong, I haven't singled anybody out," he said.
"I said yesterday what I've previously said, that there is a section, a small section, of the Islamic population which is unwilling to integrate.
"And I've said generally of migrants who come to this country, no matter where they've come from, they have to integrate.
"That means speaking English as quickly as possible, it means embracing Australian values, and it also means making sure that no matter what the culture of the country from which they came might have been, Australia requires women to be treated fairly and decently and in the same fashion as men.
"If any migrants coming to this country have a different view, they'd better get rid of that view pretty quickly.
"Ninety-nine per cent of the Islamic community of Australia has integrated and is part of the Australian community, but I've said before there is a small section - and that's self-evident - that is unwilling to integrate and it's up to all of us to try and overcome that resistance."
Mr Howard was then told of the outrage amongst Muslim leaders and asked if he would consider an apology.
"No I don't apologise, I think they are missing the point," he said.
"The point is that I don't care, and the Australian people don't care where people come from - look at this school, it's made up of children from all different backgrounds and they're all part of the Australian community - and that's what we want for everybody.
"But to the extent that some people, and there's a small section, resist that, then it has to be said and there's no point pretending otherwise."
Other migrants supportive
Mr Howard found some support for his view among the parents at the school.
Proud parents, many of them Asian, looked on as their children jostled for a photo with Mr Howard.
One Chinese mother said immigrants needed to do more to adopt Australian values.
"I agree with that," she told The World Today.
"If you want to live in Australia, you've got to learn the language here or don't come here."
But Muslim leaders, including former Liberal candidate Irfan Yusuf, remain concerned by the Prime Minister's remarks.
"The fact is there are people from a while range of ethnic and religious groups who fit John Howard's description," he said.
"I mean why would he single out people of a particular faith group? It just doesn't make any sense, it doesn't really contribute anything and really I think it's just a piece of wedge politics which is most unbecoming of a conservative leader.
"I'd want to know, does John Howard still regard himself as a conservative, if he does, why is he alienating an inherently socially conservative community?"

As an alternative we can introduce second national language or make it three or four.
Canada has 2, Switzerland 3 so surely we can do one better

 

[wayneL]

My old man always advised me to learn Chinese... and that was 25 years ago.

I didn't

 

[hissho]

is that because Chinese is the most difficult language in the world Wayne? just being curious...

cheers
hissho

(btw what happened to your sigmaoption blog? i'd like to see more updates...)

 

[wayneL]

is that because Chinese is the most difficult language in the world Wayne? just being curious...

cheers
hissho

No,

It was simply a typical anglophonic arrogance that marked my youth. It is one of my regrets.

 

[dutchie]

How dare the Prime Minister of this country state that migrants should:

1. Learn to speak English. If they don't they will never be insulted by him because they won't know what he's saying!

2. Respect women. Come on you feminists rap him over the knuckles for that one!

3. Intergrate into Australian society. Why should they - their own society is so good - thats why they migrated!


If the shoe fits - wear it!

Shame shame shame

 

[wayneL]

How dare the Prime Minister of this country state that migrants should:

1. Learn to speak English. If they don't they will never be insulted by him because they won't know what he's saying!

2. Respect women. Come on you feminists rap him over the knuckles for that one!

3. Intergrate into Australian society. Why should they - their own society is so good - thats why they migrated!


If the shoe fits - wear it!

Shame shame shame

Yes!

Though I am finding less and less to agree with the PM on, he is right.

It is just unfortunate in these ever so PC days that he signalled out one group so enabling them to go on the offensive.

 

[macca]

I think we need to encourage integration............. with a big stick

It really is sad when grandparents who have been in Oz for 25 years can't really talk to their grandkids because the kids speak Ozzie and the GP's speak other.

Quite sad

Why not have it so that after 5 years you must pass a language test and then become Ozzieeeeeeeeeeeeeee Oi! Oi! Oi!

 

[visual]

Interesting how people are concentrating on the english speaking part,of the Prime minister`s speech.
So far in the news only one person,from Monash university,has linked what the Prime minister said with domestic violence,she rightly pointed out that domestic violence is a huge problem in Australia so she felt it was wrong to link it with being muslim.She`s right domestic violence is a huge problem however it is only muslims that link it with their religion and use their holy book to actually justify it.A link that according to Islam unveiled,recently on channel two,is made only by uneducated and ignorant mullah,their words.

 

[wayneL]

Interesting how people are concentrating on the english speaking part,of the Prime minister`s speech.
So far in the news only one person,from Monash university,has linked what the Prime minister said with domestic violence,she rightly pointed out that domestic violence is a huge problem in Australia so she felt it was wrong to link it with being muslim.She`s right domestic violence is a huge problem however it is only muslims that link it with their religion and use their holy book to actually justify it.A link that according to Islam unveiled,recently on channel two,is made only by uneducated and ignorant mullah,their words.

:topic

Vis,

The topic heading is "English language in Australia"

Domestic Violence is clearly a subject you are passionate about. You should start a separate thread on the topic, if you wish.

 

[billhill]

Its general coutesy to the country you are migrating to. The country doesn't have to let you in. So if i moved to another country i would lean their language and try to respect their culture and values. I would have no problem taking a test so as to stay in the country. People who move to these countries for a better life then complain when people tell them they should intergrate should just go back to where they came from. Its our country with our laws and our culture, migrants need to respect that.

Billhill

 

[visual]

:topic

Vis,

The topic heading is "English language in Australia"

Domestic Violence is clearly a subject you are passionate about. You should start a separate thread on the topic, if you wish.

Wayne,
I did`nt link domestic violence with this issue,the Monash university person,did,

I presumed that she made that link,because the Prime minister also asked that women were to be treated equally ,along with speaking english and adopting Australian values.Refer to the initial post that started this thread,that`s what everyone else is referring to,isn`t it the Prime minister`s speech.

 

[Bloveld]

Its general coutesy to the country you are migrating to. The country doesn't have to let you in. So if i moved to another country i would lean their language and try to respect their culture and values. I would have no problem taking a test so as to stay in the country. People who move to these countries for a better life then complain when people tell them they should intergrate should just go back to where they came from. Its our country with our laws and our culture, migrants need to respect that.

Billhill

So how many English lessons have you got left?

 

[Hopeful]

Its general coutesy to the country you are migrating to. The country doesn't have to let you in. So if i moved to another country i would lean their language and try to respect their culture and values. I would have no problem taking a test so as to stay in the country. People who move to these countries for a better life then complain when people tell them they should intergrate should just go back to where they came from. Its our country with our laws and our culture, migrants need to respect that.

Billhill

Unless, of course, the 'host' country values you for your differences and pays you to teach your language to the locals. Where I'm at I am valued because I DONT speak the local language fluently and because I clearly don't fit in and never will (sadly, in Japan it's form over function such that even if I spoke the lingo perfectly and naturalised I would still be considered an "outsider" because of my caucasian appearance). I lost all motivation to learn Japanese a long time ago when I realised the above.

I guess some of the older immigrants don't see any point in learning English when they can get by just fine with their family's help, and learning a language later in life is no easy task - it would take a huge amount of time and effort for little percieved gain.

But if you are talking about young families wanting to start a new life in Oz then there is no excuse.

 

[carmo]

I sure it's only Howard diverting attention from everything else that is going on at the moment. Howard government's favourite response at the moment
"I don't recall"

 

[billhill]

Hopeful,
Yes i generally mean permanent migrants who want to live here. I think a bit of multicultralism is great but when certain migrant groups basically form colonies that refuse to interact with other social groups this is always going to end up in violence and discrimination. I'm not going to single any particular nationalities but when particular migrant groups bring their cultural values here they also bring the conflicts. We have enough problems as it is without conflicts from other regions of the world being played out in our back yard. Encouraging intergration and in some cases forcing it is the best way to prevent future conflicts between social groups.

I would like to add however that John Howards recent comment were propably more politically motivated to stir up more bias against muslims then to address the intergration problems that face many more migrants that just those of muslim countries.

Billhill

 

[Tisme]

 

[SirRumpole]

Excellent !

 

[Smurf1976]

I have no problem with people for whom English is not their first language but there are situations where getting it right is important.

I’ve had cause to look at various websites for the sort of businesses I wouldn’t normally deal with recently and to be blunt many are outright appalling given they’re a first point of contact for businesses selling to the general public.

I’m going on the basis that if someone can’t spell the word “blinds” then they’re not the sort of business I need to be buying blinds from. Etc.

I’m truly amazed at the seeming inability to produce a website in decent English. I don’t mean complex words, just basic stuff like grammatically correct sentences would be sufficient.

I think I’ve found a supplier of something, then I see their website and decide to give them a miss. If the website, that is their own advertising and first impression, is shoddy then I can only assume everything else about the business is much the same or worse.

 

[SirRumpole]

If you have kids in school who are not indigenous and can't speak English then there is something wrong with our immigration system .

 

[bellenuit]

I know it is a blunder rather than a misspelling, but how could no one have noticed this: