FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said Tamworth residents can now sit the Australian Citizenship test at their local Centrelink or Medicare Service Centre.

The Minister for Human Services Senator Marise Payne and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison announced a new partnership between their departments to make it easier for people living in regional areas across Australia to sit the citizenship test.

The government now offers weekly citizenship testing at 29 service centres across Australia – from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Mackay in Queensland.

“People living in these areas can now take a citizenship test at their local service centre instead of travelling to capital cities or waiting for immigration staff to visit their local area,” Mr Joyce said.

The partnership was trialled at seven sites in 2012 and has now been expanded to 29 sites.

Mr Joyce said the move will make it easier for Tamworth and New England Electorate residents to access this important service.

“The Tamworth office will offer four tests a week,” Mr Joyce said.

“About 125,000 citizenship tests are taken every year across the country and around 14,000 of these are taken in regional areas of Australia.

“This is a great opportunity for locals to take the tests without having to wait for Department of Immigration and Border Protection staff to visit regional centres to hold the tests, which is usually on a monthly or bimonthly basis.”

To find out more about becoming an Australian citizen visit citizenship.gov.au