NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam today announced a series of measures as part of the NSW Liberal/Nationals strong and clear plan for practical multiculturalism to celebrate Australian values. 

"The people of NSW have much to celebrate; we are fortunate to enjoy some of our greatest national assets. But we can never take for granted our lifestyle and the privileges we enjoy," Mr Debnam said.

"Our sense of shared values is what makes our community great," he said.

"I have developed a strong and clear plan to encourage a new era of Practical Multiculturalism that places greater emphasis on Australian values.

"The NSW Liberal/Nationals plan includes:

1. A new Australian Values and Civics Test for year 6 students based on the test recently introduced by the Australian Government for new citizens. We will review the curriculum to ensure it encompasses all the material covered in the new test, especially Australian history, with equal focus on colonial and indigenous history.

2. Renaming the existing ‘English as a Second Language’ Program to ‘Teaching English as a first Language’ (TEFL) and the provision of an additional 200 new TEFL teachers to reverse Labor’s 12 years of language neglect.

3. Free English Language courses at NSW Community Colleges to assist those who wish to develop their English language skills.

4. A new free Civics and Citizenship course at NSW Community Colleges.

5. A $6 million Youth Community Partnership Projects Program to provide financial assistance for schools and community organisations to arrange and undertake projects that involve young people from different cultural backgrounds, different schools and different areas working together on charitable and other community initiatives.

"While all Australians have the right to express their culture and beliefs, first and foremost, all Australians have the civic responsibility to support the basic institutions and values of the Australian community to which we are privileged to be a part of.

"However, in recent times we have been witness to multiculturalism being used as a licence to import old nationalistic rivalries, rather than valuing the timeless and positive benefits of the many cultures that Australians have come from.

"No longer can we allow multiculturalism to justify the barriers it has placed between Australians of different backgrounds, faiths and beliefs. Australians are fed up with seeing the problems of other nations played out on our own streets.

"I've placed my Australia Day address on the website at www.peterdebnam.com.au. I encourage people to view it in full and make their own judgement.