Residents in the Tweed can now sit the Australian Citizenship test at their local Centrelink or Medicare Service Centre.

The Nationals Duty Senator for Richmond John Williams has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Human Services Senator the Hon. Marise Payne and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection the Hon. Scott Morrison that the two agencies have formed a partnership to make it easier for people in regional Australia.

Senator Williams said Tweed Heads is one of 29 centres across Australia where people can take the Citizenship test instead of travelling to a capital city or wait for Immigration staff to visit their local area.

“In 2012, the partnership between Centrelink and Medicare was trialled at seven sites.

Tweed Heads will offer 27 tests per week and across the nation around 125,000 Citizenship tests are taken every year.

This is an excellent decision that will save people in the Tweed time and inconvenience”, Senator Williams said.