See if you would pass Australia's proposed new citizenship test

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated Australia's population. It is 24 million.

SYDNEY — The Australian government unveiled sweeping new citizenship rules this week that require applicants to live here for at least four years, speak English fluently and conform to "Australian values."

Applicants will be asked whether they believe in forced marriages for children, genital mutilation, striking a spouse and prohibiting girls from school. Those questions appear aimed at Muslim immigrants, who have come here in recent years. Nearly 30% of Australia's population of 24 million are foreign born.

"We're not defined by race or religion or culture, as many other nations are," said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. "We're defined by commitment to common values, political values, the rule of law, democracy, freedom, mutual respect, equality for men and women."

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"These fundamental values are what make us Australian. ... And our citizenship process should reflect that," he said.

Australia's citizenship test previously focused on knowledge of the nation's history and political system, and gave applicants unlimited chances to pass. The proposed change would limit test-takers to three tries and bar citizenship for anyone with a history of domestic violence.

Turnbull, leader of Australia's Liberal Party, called on Australia's opposition Labor party to support the changes, which appear to have broad support.

Centrist Sen. Nick Xenophon supported the move. "There's no polite way to beat up your wife," he said. "If you want to beat up your wife, you can't become a citizen of this nation.”

The move comes as Australia's far right anti-immigration party, One Nation, has been gaining in popularity. It won three seats in parliament in last year’s election.

Critics said the idea of testing for values is flawed. “People will just lie,” said George Williams, a constitutional expert and dean of the University of New South Wales law faculty. “The suggestion you can ascertain someone’s values from a multiple choice question is just wrong.”

Williams said the move is part of a backlash against globalization and immigration that brings cultural diversity to countries and could be damaging by promoting a narrow version of Australian national identity.

“I think Australian policy is feeding off what’s happening in the United States. It’s about identity, it’s about who is with us and who is against us. It’s a powerful symbol, but a useless device.”

Others welcomed the concept of promoting gender equality in a country with one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world: One woman is killed each week at the hands of a partner,  according to the Australian Institute of Criminology.

“I think all communities, not just migrants, benefit from an emphasis on gender equality,” said Carla Wilshire, CEO of the Migration Council of Australia.