Multicultural Australia: United in Diversity

MULTICULTURALAUSTRALIA:UNITEDINDIVERSITY

Updating the1999NewAgenda forMulticulturalAustralia: Strategic directions for2003-2006

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PRIME MINISTER CANBERRA

Foreword

In1999, IannouncedtheNewAgendaforMulticultural Australiaasastatementofthegovernment’s multicultural policy. Overthreeyearson,thegovernmentremainscommittedtonurturingourinclusive societywithitsproudrecordofcommunityharmony. Thisnewstatementreaffirmsthegovernment’scommitmenttopromotingdiversity,understandingandtoleranceinallareasofendeavour. These actionsareespeciallyimportantgiventhetragiceventsof11September2001in theUnited Statesof Americaand12October2002inBaliandthechangedglobalenvironmentinwhichwelive.

AllAustralians,regardlessoftheirethnic,culturalorreligiousbackground areencouragedtoparticipate fullyinthewiderAustraliancommunity toshowacommitmenttoournation,itsdemocraticinstitutions anditslaws.

Icommendthisrenewedstatementofourmulticulturalpolicyandencourageall Australianstojointhe governmentinensuringthatourdiversitycontinues tobeaunifyingforceforournation.

(JohnHoward)

Minister’sMessage

Australia’s multiculturalpolicies andprograms signify the Government’s strong andenduring commitmenttocommunityharmonyandamigrationprogramthatdoesnotdiscriminateon thebasis ofethnicorigin,gender,raceorreligion.

Thisnon-discriminatorymigrationprogramhas broughtpeoplefromacrosstheglobeandwith them theirdiverseculturalheritages. Aboutsixmillionmigrantshave settledinAustraliasincetheSecond WorldWar.Theyhavemadeanenormouscontribution toAustralia,alongwiththeuniquecontribution ofAustralia’sIndigenouspeople,earliermigrantsandtheirdescendants. Together,we havebuilta countrythatisvibrant,successfulandoutwardlooking,acountrythatprovidedsafehavenforthe dispossessed,andabrightfutureforusall.

Australiatodayisaculturallyandlinguisticallydiversesocietyandwillremainso.Like oursophisticated migrationprogram,ourmulticulturalpolicycontinuesourtraditionofsuccessfulnationbuilding. Itwill helpustoensurethatwemeetthechallengeofdrawingthebestfromthemanyhistoriesandcultures oftheAustralianpeople,withinaframeworkofaunitingsetofAustralianvalues.

PhilipRuddock

MinisterforImmigrationandMulticulturalandIndigenousAffairs

Minister’sMessage

OurdiversityisourstrengthandthisupdateoftheGovernment’smulticulturalpolicyrepresentsa renewaloftheprinciplesandarefocusingofstrategicdirectionstoreflectchangingcircumstances.

Multiculturalismisaboutrespectforandofeachpersoninoursociety. Eachpersonhasa strength throughtheircultureandby harnessingthisstrengthweallcontributetoAustralia.

Threeyearsago,communicatingtherelevanceofmulticulturalismtoallAustralianswasofparticularimportance. Whileweremaincommitted tothisongoing goal,andthefundamentalsof thepolicy remainvalid,itisappropriate,particularlyinlightofinternationalanddomesticeventsofthelast threeyears,torefocusand renewourstrategicdirections.

Inthenextthreeyearswewillgiveincreasedemphasistofurtheringharmoniouscommunityrelations, ensuringequityintheprovisionofgovernmentservicesandharnessingtheeconomicbenefitsof diversity. ThroughourprogramswewillseektoensurethatAustraliansgivepracticaleffecttothe unifyingvalues ofAustralianmulticulturalismeveryday,intheirworkplacesandinsocietyatlarge.

Ilookforwardtoimplementingthispolicytohelpsecureafutureinwhichourdiversityremainsa sourceofeconomic benefit,culturalenrichmentandsocialstabilityforallAustralians.

GaryHardgrave

MinisterforCitizenshipandMulticulturalAffairs

MulticulturalAustralia:UnitedinDiversity

Updatingthe1999NewAgendaforMulticulturalAustralia:Strategicdirectionsfor2003-2006

Oneofthegreateststrengthsofournationisourculturaldiversity. The Governmentiscommittedto MulticulturalAustralia,withpoliciesandprogramsthatuniteusasAustraliansworkingtoadvance Australiafair.

ThekeytothesuccessofAustralianmulticulturalismisinclusiveness. EveryAustralianbenefitsfrom ourdiversityandall AustralianshavetherighttobeactiveandequalparticipantsinAustraliansociety, freetolivetheirlivesandmaintaintheirculturaltraditions.

Australia’sIndigenouspeopleandtheirculturehavemadeandcontinuetomakeauniquecontribution tothiscountry.Theircontributiontogetherwiththesignificantcontributionsoftheearlysettlersand morerecentmigrantshave helpedbuildthenationwebelongtotoday.

With43%ofthepopulationbornoverseasorwithatleastone parentbornoverseas,and withsome

200 languages betweenus,wehaveoneof the most cosmopolitan populations inthe world. MulticulturalismcelebratesAustraliantraditions,recognisingthatourcultureisvibrant,multifaceted, livingandconstantlyevolving.

CulturalandlinguisticdiversitywasafeatureoflifeforthefirstAustralians,wellbeforeEuropean settlement. ItremainsafeatureofmodernAustralianlife,anditcontinuestogiveusdistinctsocial, culturalandbusinessadvantages.

Ifwearetocontinuetoreaptherewardsofourdiversity,itisimportantthatpoliciesandprograms respondtotheassociatedongoingbenefitsandchallenges.

TheCommonwealthGovernmentiscommittedtomulticulturalpoliciesthatmaximisethesebenefits andaddressthechallengesinordertobuildonAustralia’sachievementsasapeacefulandprosperous nation. Itsvisionisofavigorous,multiculturalAustralia,unitedbyasharedfuture,anoverriding commitmenttoournationanditsdemocraticinstitutionsand values,andsupportfortheruleoflaw, withEnglishasacommonlanguage.

In1999, thePrimeMinister,theHonJohnHowardMP,announcedtheNewAgendaforMulticultural AustraliaasastatementoftheGovernment’s multiculturalpolicy.Some threeyearson,followingan assessmentofprogress inimplementing theNewAgenda,itisappropriatetoreaffirmourcommitment tothepolicy andtoarticulatethestrategicdirectionformulticulturalpolicyforthenextthreeyears.

Australianmulticulturalism-thePolicy

TheGovernmentiscommittedtoensuringthatallAustralianshavetheopportunitytobeactiveand equalparticipantsinAustraliansociety,freetolivetheirlivesandmaintaintheirculturaltraditions. ThissocialequityisenshrinedinCommonwealth,StateandTerritorylegislation.

Australianmulticulturalismrecognises,accepts,respectsandcelebratesculturaldiversity.It embraces theheritageofIndigenousAustralians,earlyEuropeansettlement,ourAustralian-growncustomsand thoseofthediverserangeofmigrantsnowcomingtothiscountry.

Thefreedomofall Australianstoexpressandsharetheirculturalvaluesisdependentontheirabiding bymutualcivicobligations. AllAustraliansareexpectedtohaveanoverridingloyaltytoAustraliaand itspeople,andtorespectthebasicstructuresandprinciplesunderwritingourdemocraticsociety. ThesearetheConstitution,Parliamentarydemocracy,freedomofspeechandreligion,Englishasthe nationallanguage,theruleoflaw,acceptanceandequality.

ThesecivicobligationsreflecttheunifyingvaluesofAustralianCitizenship.AustralianCitizenshipinvolves reciprocalresponsibilitiesandprivilegesandenablesindividualstobecomefullycontributingmembers oftheAustraliancommunity.Citizenshipisastrongunifyingforceinourdiversemulticulturalcommunity. OurcommitmenttoanddefenceofAustralianvaluesofequality,democracyandfreedomuniteusinour diverseorigins,andenhancetheabilityofusalltoparticipatefullyinallspheres ofAustraliansociety.

Insummary,theGovernment’saimistobuildonoursuccessasaculturallydiverse,acceptingandopen society,unitedthroughasharedfuture,andacommitmenttoournation,itsdemocraticinstitutionsand values,andtheruleoflaw.Thisvisionisreflectedinthefourprinciplesthatunderpinmulticulturalpolicy:

Responsibilitiesofall–all Australianshaveacivicdutytosupportthosebasicstructures andprinciplesofAustraliansocietywhichguaranteeusourfreedomandequalityandenable diversityinoursocietytoflourish;

Respectforeachperson–subjecttothelaw,allAustralianshavetherighttoexpress theirowncultureandbeliefsandhaveareciprocalobligationtorespecttherightofothers todothesame;

Fairnessforeachperson –allAustraliansareentitledtoequalityof treatment and opportunity. Socialequityallowsusalltocontributetothesocial,politicalandeconomiclife ofAustralia,freefromdiscrimination,includingonthegroundsofrace,culture,religion, language,location,genderorplaceofbirth;and

Benefitsforall–allAustraliansbenefitfromproductivediversity,thatis,thesignificant cultural,socialandeconomicdividendsarisingfromthediversityofourpopulation. Diversity works forallAustralians.

Thismulticulturalpolicyprovidesaframeworkformaximisingthesocial,culturalandeconomicbenefits thatculturaldiversitybringstoallAustralians. Butmorethanthat,itactivelypromotesgoodcommunity relationsandsocialharmonyamongusall.

Strategicdirections

Moresothanatanytimeindecades,Australiancommunityharmonycouldbetestedasweface currentchallengeswithstrength andresilience. Theterroristattacksof11September2001 and12 October 2002, andtheconsequencesoftheseevents,havehadasignificantimpacton communityrelationsinAustralia. InnocentAustraliansarebeingwrongfullyblamedbyassociation, arebeingthreatenedorisolated,havebeen hurt,orhavehadpropertydamaged.

Someterrorists claimreligioussanctionfortheiractionsdespitetherebeingnoreligiousorcultural basisforterrorism.

Australiansnowseethemselvesasdirectlythreatenedbyterrorism. Inthiscontext,communityharmony andsocialcohesionarepivotalelementsinenablingAustraliatocontributeeffectivelytotheinternational efforttocombatterrorism, andinsafeguardingAustraliansdomestically. TheGovernmentbelieves firmlythatAustralianmulticulturalpolicyprovidesaframeworkofnationalunity andacoherentethos foradiverseAustraliaatatimeofconflict,aswellasintimesofpeace. Nationalsecuritybeginswith domesticcommunityharmony.

TheGovernment’sstrategicdirectionsforthenextthreeyearswilladdresstheseissuesandbuildon theachievementsoftheNewAgenda–withparticularfocusonyoungpeople,regionalandrural Australia,localgovernment,businessandmedia.

CommunityHarmony

Australianshaveembracedrespectforculturaldiversity,makingournationoneofthemostharmonious societiesintheworld. Thecurrentinternational environment,whereculture,ethnicityandreligion havebecomemoresensitiveandemotivematters,isachallenge tocommunityharmony.International anddomesticfactorspointtotheimportanceofcontinuingtopromoteAustralianvalues,andAustralian multiculturalismencouragesAustralianstosupporteachother,nomatterwhathappensbeyondourshores.

TheGovernmentwillcontinuetopromotecommunityharmonyandsocialcohesionthroughnumerous avenues. Itwillworkcloselywitharangeofindividualsandcommunity,businessandgovernment organisations,incondemningactionsandstatementswhichthreatencommunityharmony,andcontinue topromoteacceptanceandunderstandingamongallAustraliansforallAustralians.

TheGovernmenthasinitiatedandwillcontinuetopursuea formalcooperativeapproachbetweenthe CommonwealthandStateandTerritoryGovernmentstorespondtothreatstocommunityharmony. Thisapproachwillseektoestablishmoreefficientandeffectivemechanismsforrespondingtocommunity tension.

TheGovernmentiscommittedtopursuingtheLivinginHarmonyinitiative,includingHarmonyDay activities,topromote communityharmony. InMay2002, theGovernmentextendedtheLivingin Harmonyinitiativefora furtherfouryears,withtheprovisionof$3.5millionayearfrom2002-2003. TheannualLiving inHarmonycommunitygrantsprogramallowsforanimprovedstrategicapproach, includingspecifictargetingofpriorityareasforfundingandfurthersupport forgrassrootsparticipation

indevelopinglocalsolutionstolocalproblems. ThepartnershipelementoftheLivinginHarmony initiativewillbelinkedmorecloselywithitsgrantsprogramsothatlocalissuescaninformnational issuesandviceversa.

HarmonyDay,developedbytheCommonwealthGovernmentin1999, andcelebratedon21March eachyear,providesanopportunity:topromoteourcommunity’ssuccessasamulticulturalsociety; recommitourselvestorespect,goodwillandunderstandingbetweenallAustraliansofallbackgrounds; andsay“no” toracism. TheGovernmentwillcontinuetobuildonexistingpartnershipswithiconic sportingandcorporateorganisationstoensurethestrongmessageofcommunityharmonyreaches anever-increasingaudience.

AccessandEquity

TheprimaryobjectiveoftheAccessandEquitystrategyistoensurethatgovernmentservicesand programsareattunedtotherealitiesofdiversityinAustraliansociety.Thereisastrongcasefor betterdevelopingevengreaterlevelsofgovernmentinvestmentinvulnerableindividuals. Otherwise, thecostofremedyingtheproblemsthatstemfromsocialdislocationandlostopportunities forpersonal advancementwillbegreater intheyearsahead. Thisisparticularlyrelevantforrefugeeswitha historyoftortureandtraumaandwhomayhavehada chaoticeducationalbackgroundorthosewho donothavetheirqualificationsrecognisedinAustralia.

In thisregard,settlementprogramstoassistmigrantsand humanitarianentrantsarepositive investmentsthatcontributetoeachperson’sabilitytoparticipatefullyinourmulticulturalsociety, realisetheirpersonalaspirations,andbenefitAustralia.

InJune1998, theGovernmentlaunchedtheCharterofPublicServiceinaCulturallyDiverseSociety. TheCharterisanationallyconsistentapproachtoensuringthatgovernmentservicesaredeliveredin awaythatissensitivetothelanguageandculturalneedsofallAustralians. TheGovernmentremains committedtotheimplementationoftheCharter,throughtheperformancemanagementframework adoptedin2000.

TheGovernmentiscommittedtoeffectiveanalysisofoutcomesbyagenciesandmorestreamlined reportinginordertoenhanceaccountabilityandimproveaccessandequity.

TheGovernmentwillworkwithexistingplanningprocessesatalllevelsof governmenttoensure equitableaccessbyallAustralianstoservices.

ProductiveDiversity

Intheknowledge-basedeconomyofthismillennium,wherepeoplearethekeytoanation’sproductivity andcompetitiveness,Australia’smulticulturalismisamostvaluable resource. Itencouragesdiversity inwaysofthinkingandstimulates innovationandcreativity.Ithelpsus toforgelinkswiththerestof theworldthatcan deliverincreasedtradeandinvestmentthroughtheexpansionofmarketsandthe developmentofdiversegoodsandservices.

TheGovernment iscommittedtopromoting theeconomicbenefitsthatcanbederivedinboththe domesticandinternationalmarketsbycapitalisingonAustralia’swealthofculturalandlinguisticskills andonthesocialandbusinessnetworksofAustralia’smigrants.ThisispursuedthroughtheProductive Diversityprogram.

ThemainemphasisoftheProductiveDiversityprograminthelastthreeyearshasbeentoarticulate asoundbusinesscasefordiversitymanagement.The achievementstodatewillbebuiltonthrough furtherdevelopmentofbusinesscasestudiesand toolstosupportAustralianbusinessestomaximisethebenefitsofdiversityintheworkplaceandthecommunity.

TheProductive DiversityandHarmonyDaypartnershipswiththecorporatesectorandcommunity organisations will befurtherdeveloped,amongotherthings,tomakeaneffectivecontributiontothe implementation ofthePrimeMinister’sBusinessCommunityPartnershipinitiative.

Inthenextthreeyears,theGovernmentiscommittedtointegratingitsAccessandEquityandProductive Diversitystrategiestoensuretheyconveyconsistentmessagestothepublicandprivatesectors. The economic andsocialequitybenefitsfromthesepolicieswillenhancecommunityharmony.

CouncilforMulticulturalAustralia

In2000 theGovernmentestablishedtheCouncilforMulticulturalAustraliawith membersappointed forthreeyears. TheGovernmentiscommittedtotheappointment ofanewCouncilforafurtherthree years. ThenewCouncil forMulticultural AustraliawillassisttheGovernmenttobuildonachievements todateinimplementingtheNewAgendaforMulticulturalAustraliawithrenewedstrategicfocuson promotingcommunityharmonyandthebenefitsofourculturaldiversity.