In late 2020, the Department of Home Affairs fundamentally altered the Australian Citizenship Test. They introduced a dedicated section focusing exclusively on Australian Values.
With this introduction came a brutal, uncompromising new rule: You must achieve a 100% score on the 5 mandatory Australian Values questions to pass the exam.
If you correctly identify every single historical date, name every state capital, define the role of the Governor-General, and list every Aboriginal flag color—scoring 19 out of 20—but your one mistake was a Values question, you fail.
The zero-tolerance policy has made this section the primary reason applicants fail. Here is exactly how to guarantee a 100% score on the Australian Values section.
1. Do Not Rely on "Common Sense"
The most dangerous assumption applicants make is that Australian values are simply global "common sense." They skim the booklet, assuming that "being a good person" is enough to guess the correct multiple-choice answer.
This is a fatal error.
The test does not measure your general morality; it measures your precise knowledge of how Our Common Bond explicitly defines Australian Values.
For example, when asked about "freedom of speech," you might assume it means you can say whatever you want without consequence. But the test explicitly asks you to identify the limits of freedom of speech (e.g., inciting violence, defamation, or endangering national security). If you rely on your own interpretation of "freedom" instead of the booklet's strict legal definition, you will select the wrong option and instantly fail.
2. Memorize the Five Core Pillars
The Our Common Bond booklet categorizes Australian Values into distinct pillars. To guarantee a perfect score, you must actively memorize how the booklet defines each of these:
- Respect for the equal worth, dignity, and freedom of the individual: You must know that this includes freedom of speech, religion, and association, but also involves mutual respect.
- Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression: Understand the boundary between free speech and inciting violence or breaking the law.
- Freedom of Association: You are free to join—or refuse to join—any legal organization, including a political party or a trade union.
- Freedom of Religion and Secular Government: The government is secular, meaning it has no official religion and treats all citizens equally regardless of their faith (or lack thereof). Religious laws do not override Australian law.
- Equality of Men and Women / Equality of Opportunity: Discriminatory practices, regardless of cultural background, are illegal. The law applies equally to everyone, regardless of gender, race, or religion.
- Peacefulness and the Rule of Law: Change occurs through peaceful democratic processes, not violence. Everyone is subject to the law.
- Mateship and a "Fair Go": A spirit of egalitarianism, mutual respect, and helping those in need, especially in times of crisis.
- Scenario: A colleague tells you that you must join a specific trade union to work at their factory. Is this legal in Australia?
- Application: No, because under Freedom of Association, you cannot be forced to join an organization.
- Option A will be a generally nice statement.
- Option B will be the exact phrase pulled directly from Our Common Bond.
title="Drill the Exact Values Terms"
text="Stop guessing based on common sense. CitizenMate features extremely rigorous Australian Values focus modes. We simulate the exact phrasing of the real exam so you never get caught out by a subtle wording difference."
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3. Practice Applying Values to Scenarios
The government test frequently asks you to apply these values to real-world scenarios.
If you have only memorized the bullet points but have never practiced applying them to scenarios, you will panic during the 45-minute timer.
4. Beware of "Almost Right" Answers
Because the Values section carries a zero-tolerance policy, the multiple-choice options are written meticulously. You will often face two options that seem perfectly reasonable.
You must select Option B. This is why reading the booklet multiple times and drilling with a hyper-realistic simulator like CitizenMate is non-negotiable. Only by repeatedly exposing yourself to the exact terminology used by the Australian Government can you confidently secure that required 100% score and proceed to your citizenship ceremony.