Australian Citizenship Test Questions: 50 Samples with Answers

Looking for Australian citizenship test questions to practise with? Below are 50 original sample questions with answers, grouped by the four testable parts of the official booklet Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond. They are written in the same style as the real test — multiple choice with three options — but they are not the official questions.

Cover the answers, work through each part, then check your score. The real test has 20 questions, a 45-minute time limit and a 75% pass mark, and you must get all five values questions right.

Part 1: Australia and Its People

Who were the first inhabitants of Australia?
A. European settlers
B. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
C. Pacific Islander traders
Answer: B — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years.
In which year did the First Fleet arrive at Sydney Cove?
A. 1788
B. 1801
C. 1901
Answer: A — the First Fleet arrived from Great Britain in 1788.
Who led the First Fleet and became the first Governor of New South Wales?
A. Captain James Cook
B. Captain Arthur Phillip
C. Sir Edmund Barton
Answer: B — Captain Arthur Phillip.
What happened on 1 January 1901?
A. The First Fleet arrived
B. The colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia
C. Canberra became the capital
Answer: B — this is Federation.
What is the capital city of Australia?
A. Sydney
B. Melbourne
C. Canberra
Answer: C — Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory.
How many states does Australia have?
A. Six
B. Seven
C. Eight
Answer: A — New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
What is the capital of Queensland?
A. Brisbane
B. Cairns
C. Townsville
Answer: A — Brisbane.
What is the capital of the Northern Territory?
A. Alice Springs
B. Darwin
C. Katherine
Answer: B — Darwin.
What is the capital of Tasmania?
A. Launceston
B. Hobart
C. Devonport
Answer: B — Hobart.
What is Australia's national floral emblem?
A. The waratah
B. The golden wattle
C. The kangaroo paw
Answer: B — the golden wattle.
What are Australia's national colours?
A. Red and white
B. Blue and white
C. Green and gold
Answer: C — green and gold.
What is Australia's national gemstone?
A. The opal
B. The diamond
C. The sapphire
Answer: A — the opal.
What is the name of Australia's national anthem?
A. Waltzing Matilda
B. Advance Australia Fair
C. God Save the King
Answer: B — Advance Australia Fair.
Which animals appear on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms?
A. A kangaroo and an emu
B. A koala and a wombat
C. A platypus and an echidna
Answer: A — a kangaroo and an emu.
What colours are on the Australian Aboriginal Flag?
A. Green, blue and white
B. Black, red and yellow
C. Red, white and blue
Answer: B — black, red and a yellow circle.
What do the seven points of the Commonwealth Star on the Australian National Flag represent?
A. The seven largest cities
B. The six states and the territories
C. Seven famous explorers
Answer: B — one point for each state and one for the territories.
When is Anzac Day?
A. 26 January
B. 25 April
C. 11 November
Answer: B — 25 April.
When is Australia Day?
A. 26 January
B. 1 January
C. 25 April
Answer: A — 26 January.

Part 2: Democratic Beliefs, Rights and Liberties

What is a parliamentary democracy?
A. A system where citizens elect representatives to make laws for them
B. A system where the army governs
C. A system where one family rules
Answer: A — the people elect members of Parliament.
What does the "rule of law" mean?
A. Police make the laws
B. All people, including leaders, must obey the law
C. Only citizens must obey the law
Answer: B — no one is above the law.
Which of these is a freedom Australians have?
A. Freedom of speech, within the law
B. Freedom to ignore any law they disagree with
C. Freedom to use violence in a protest
Answer: A — speech must stay within the law, for example no incitement to violence.
What does freedom of association mean?
A. People must join a political party
B. People can join or leave any lawful group
C. People can only meet with family
Answer: B.
Is voting in federal elections compulsory for Australian citizens aged 18 and over?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Only for people who own property
Answer: A — enrolling and voting are compulsory.
Which of these is a responsibility of Australian citizens?
A. Serving on a jury if called to do so
B. Joining a trade union
C. Attending a place of worship
Answer: A.
Which of these is a privilege of Australian citizenship?
A. Applying for an Australian passport
B. Not paying tax
C. Choosing which laws to obey
Answer: A.
What does it mean that Australia's government is secular?
A. It has an official national religion
B. It does not have an official religion
C. It bans religious practice
Answer: B — people are free to follow any religion, or none, within the law.
Which statement about equality in Australia is correct?
A. Men and women have equal rights
B. Men have more rights than women
C. Rights depend on a person's religion
Answer: A.
If Australians disagree with a law, what can they do?
A. Ignore it
B. Try to change it by peaceful and lawful means
C. Use force to stop it
Answer: B — for example by contacting their member of Parliament or protesting peacefully.
Which of these is a responsibility of citizens should the need arise?
A. Defending Australia
B. Running for local council
C. Owning a home
Answer: A.
Who can seek election to Parliament, if they are otherwise eligible?
A. Any visitor
B. Australian citizens
C. Only people born in Australia
Answer: B — standing for election is a privilege of citizenship.

Part 3: Government and the Law in Australia

What is the Australian Constitution?
A. The legal document that sets out the basic rules for the Australian Government
B. A list of state laws
C. A speech by the first Prime Minister
Answer: A.
How can the Constitution be changed?
A. By the Prime Minister alone
B. By a referendum
C. By the High Court
Answer: B — a proposal needs a double majority of voters.
Who is Australia's head of state?
A. The Prime Minister
B. The Governor-General
C. King Charles III, King of Australia
Answer: C.
Who represents the King in Australia?
A. The Governor-General
B. The Chief Justice
C. The Speaker
Answer: A — state Governors represent the King in the states.
Who is the leader of the Australian Government?
A. The Governor-General
B. The Prime Minister
C. The President of the Senate
Answer: B.
What are the three levels of government in Australia?
A. Federal, state or territory, and local
B. National, regional and village
C. Parliament, courts and police
Answer: A.
Which level of government is usually responsible for rubbish collection?
A. Federal
B. State
C. Local
Answer: C — local councils.
Which level of government is responsible for defence?
A. Federal
B. State
C. Local
Answer: A.
What are the two houses of the federal Parliament?
A. The House of Representatives and the Senate
B. The Cabinet and the Senate
C. The High Court and the House of Representatives
Answer: A.
Which party or coalition forms the federal government?
A. The one with the most senators
B. The one with a majority in the House of Representatives
C. The one chosen by the High Court
Answer: B.
What are the three arms of government under the separation of powers?
A. Legislative, executive and judicial
B. Federal, state and local
C. Army, navy and air force
Answer: A.
Who interprets and applies the law?
A. Members of Parliament
B. Independent courts
C. Local councils
Answer: B — the judiciary is independent of Parliament and government.
What is the leader of a state government called?
A. The Governor
B. The Premier
C. The Mayor
Answer: B — territories have a Chief Minister.
Which is a role of the police in Australia?
A. Keeping peace and order in the community
B. Deciding whether a person is guilty
C. Making new laws
Answer: A — courts decide guilt; Parliament makes laws.

Part 4: Australian Values

Which of these is an Australian value?
A. Mutual respect
B. Loyalty to a political party
C. Obedience to religious leaders over the law
Answer: A.
Can a person in Australia be refused a job because of their gender?
A. Yes, if the employer prefers it
B. No, men and women have equal opportunity
C. Only in private businesses
Answer: B.
Is it acceptable to use violence against a family member in Australia?
A. Yes, in private
B. No, violence is against the law
C. Only if the family agrees
Answer: B.
What does a "fair go" mean?
A. Everyone should have an equal chance to succeed
B. Only some people deserve opportunities
C. People should always win games
Answer: A.
Which statement reflects freedom of religion in Australia?
A. Religious laws override Australian laws
B. People can follow any religion, or none, as long as they obey Australian law
C. Everyone must follow the same religion
Answer: B.
What is the national language of Australia?
A. English
B. There is no common language
C. Each state chooses its own
Answer: A — English is an important unifying element of Australian society.

How to Use These Australian Citizenship Test Questions

Score yourself by part. If you missed more than one question in a part, go back to that part of Our Common Bond before trying again. For deeper study, see our guides to the Constitution, the two houses of Parliament and using practice tests well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these the real citizenship test questions?

No. The official questions are not published. These samples cover the same topics and style so you can check your knowledge.

How many questions are in the real test?

Twenty, including five Australian values questions. You need 75% overall and all five values questions correct — see our 2026 test guide.

Is there a PDF of citizenship test questions?

The official study material is the Our Common Bond booklet, which is available as a free PDF. The Department of Home Affairs also offers a free online practice test.

Practise With Hundreds More Questions

These 50 questions are a start. CitiZen AU gives you a much larger bank of practice questions in English and Vietnamese, category practice for each part, full 20-question mock tests, a Surprise Me mode for mixed revision and progress tracking so you can see your weak topics.