Why Values Questions Matter
The Australian citizenship test has 20 multiple-choice questions, and you need 75% (15 out of 20) to pass. But there’s a catch: you must get every values question correct, regardless of your overall score. Get one values question wrong and you fail the entire test, even if you answer the other 19 correctly.
This makes values questions the single most important part of your preparation.
The Core Australian Values
All values questions are drawn from Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, the official study resource published by the Department of Home Affairs. The values you need to know include:
- Parliamentary democracy: Australia is governed by laws made by elected representatives. Citizens have the right and responsibility to vote.
- Rule of law: Everyone is subject to the same laws, applied equally. No one is above the law.
- Freedom of speech and expression: People can express their opinions openly, within the limits of the law.
- Freedom of religion: Australians are free to follow any religion or no religion at all. There is no official state religion.
- Equality of opportunity: Often described as the “fair go,” this means every person deserves an equal chance to succeed, regardless of background.
- Mutual respect and tolerance: Australians are expected to treat others with dignity, even when they disagree.
- English as the national language: While Australia is multicultural, English is the common language for public life.
How Values Questions Appear on the Test
Values questions are not labelled separately. They are mixed in with the other questions, so you may not know which ones carry the mandatory pass requirement. This means you should treat every question about Australian values, rights, and responsibilities as critical.
Typical phrasing includes:
- “Which of the following is an Australian value?”
- “What does it mean to have a ‘fair go’ in Australia?”
- “Why is mutual respect important in Australian society?”
The questions test understanding, not memorisation. You need to grasp what each value means in practice, not just recall a list.
Common Mistakes on Values Questions
Confusing values with laws. Freedom of speech is a value, but it has legal limits. Candidates sometimes choose answers that treat values as absolute when the correct answer acknowledges reasonable boundaries.
Overlooking the “fair go.” This concept is distinctly Australian and appears frequently. It means equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. Make sure you understand the difference.
Rushing through familiar-sounding questions. Because values questions sound straightforward, some candidates answer too quickly without reading all the options. The test often includes answers that are partially correct but miss a key detail.
Ignoring the responsibilities side. Values come with corresponding responsibilities. Voting, jury duty, and obeying the law are not optional extras. Questions may frame a value in terms of what it requires from citizens, not just what it provides.
How to Study for Values Questions
- Read the values section of Our Common Bond first. Before anything else, make sure you can explain each value in your own words.
- Connect each value to a real example. If you can describe how “mutual respect” works in daily life, you’ll handle any question about it.
- Take practice tests and review every values-related question, even the ones you get right. Look at the wrong answers to understand why they’re wrong.
- Don’t rely on common sense alone. The test expects answers based on the official resource, not general knowledge. What feels like an obvious answer may not match the specific framing used in Our Common Bond.
- Study in short, regular sessions. Twenty minutes a day over two weeks is far more effective than a single long session the night before.
One More Thing
You get a maximum of three attempts at the Australian citizenship test. Failing all three may result in your application being refused entirely. Given that values questions are the most common reason for failure, dedicating extra time to this section is the simplest way to protect your application.
All questions are based on the testable section of Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, published by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.