Is it not standard to have your ID checked when taking exams? I had to take my university ID with me to all that I sat at a British uni.

What language were they asking Australians to take their exams in before?

I may be confusing multiple issue, I've heard there are tonnes of Chinese tutors and worked with graduates that couldn't write/speak English to save themselves. I'm not sure if that's allowed on tests.

I can't remember the exact change they made for the testing though, it was in the news a couple of years ago.

Not sure I get your point. I don't know Australian culture, but wouldn't English be appropriate?

We have a very multicultural population with many recent migrants. English is our language, but many of our residents and citizens haven't been speaking it all that long.

Our universities also have a high proportion of international students. Predominantly from China, Korea and elsewhere in SE Asia. These students pay much higher fees than Australian citizens. They're used to subsidise the local education market. Classes are conducted in English, but allowances are often made for assessments.

at 90% failure rate, that would make degree so much more valuable

Only to those people that got them after IDs were being checked.