Australian Senate rejects proposed visa, citizenship curbs

In what is seen to have become a landmark decision in Australian political history, the Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team effectively blocked the proposed Citizenship Laws changes by striking down the bill in the Senate on Wednesday, the 18th.

The Coalition wanted would-be Australians to take a tougher English language test, face a wait of at least four years before being granted citizenship and give more power to the minister.

Mr Peter Dutton says he will not stop and that the Government will keep negotiating with the crossbench. Meanwhile, all citizenship applications received after 20 April 2017 will be processed under the existing laws.