As a Senate committee recommends the federal government waters down its proposed English language test - part of an overhaul of citizenship laws, the multicultural affairs minister of NSW also has come out publicly voicing his reservations about the new English language requirements.
"I'd hate to think that because someone didn't have a perfect embrace of English language, that we wouldn't accept them as being a high quality Australian," Mr Williams tells SBS Malayalam. "I think there needs to be a balance."
"I'm not going to come out and chastise the federal government for what they've done but I just think they need to look a bit closer."
"As we know, when people age it becomes a little bit more difficult for them to embrace the English language.
"I just think we need to be a little bit flexible when we're looking at that - look a little bit deeper into the person.
"What qualities and skills, what benefits they brought to this country, which may be over and above their grasp of the English language."
"If that type of flexibility could be woven into the citizenship test, I think that would be positive."
Watch video of Mr Williams MP talking to SBS Malayalam:
Mr Williams emphasizes that he still supports maintaining standards of citizenship.
"I certainly support upholding a standard and increasing the value of citizenship," he says.
"Its a wonderful country and I think each one of us should value citizenship very highly - but also I'm very conscious of the languages used by people."
Mr Williams says that it's flexibility that is key, "I would just encourage the federal government to just be a little bit more accepting of what the individual brings to citizenship."
"Yes, we do want them to embrace the English language. We say that as the best way that someone can prosper in this country is if they have a very immediate embrace of the English."
Mr. Williams points out that when people become aged it can be difficult for them to embrace the English language. So he has called the Federal government to have a closer look at the other benefits and skills people bring to the country.
"For some people this may not be as easy, but by the same token, they may be older: they might have raised their families here, their children might be value-adding to this country - so I think we just need to look a little bit deeper and maybe be a little bit flexible in terms of the embrace of English by some nationalities."
On April 20 the prime minister announced an overhaul to citizenship rules, proposing to introduce a stand-alone English language test.
The government faces an uphill battle to get its legislation through the Senate with Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team opposed to the changes.
Crossbencher Darren Hinch says that the proposed changes are "sick but not terminal" as negotiations with the government continue.
Wearing the burqa is people's choice
Mr. Williams also offers his full support to the people to choose what they wear.
"We're a free and democratic society so people can choose to wear what they want to wear," says Mr Williams.
"Personally I don't like anybody covering up their face - but that's a personal view"
When asked about the increased demands for burqa ban, the minister said that even though he didn't personally like someone covering up their face, he would not question their decision to do so.
He also said that less and less people are wearing burqa these days and as long as there are laws in the state to identify people's faces when need arises, wearing burqa is a non-issue.
"If people choose to cover themselves, that is their choice."
Listen Mr Williams interview (in English) with SBS Malayalam:
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