PrintLooking to the future
The Access and Equity Strategy, working towards policies, programs and services that support accessibility and equity for members of our diverse society, is an ongoing process. It seeks a commitment from all agencies to identify and address a range of emerging issues and challenges. Some challenges may only require responses from individual agencies. Others may have implications nationally and require broad-based, interdepartmental or intergovernmental strategies.
Access and equity issues can manifest in a range of ways. Government agencies need to increase their understanding of their clients and the challenges they face. They also need to anticipate trends such as changes in demographics, evolving needs of diverse client groups and new language groups, as well as finding new and better program and service approaches to address any barriers that exist.
This report canvasses some of the ways Australian Government agencies have responded to these challenges. There are many innovations worth sharing, but also areas where performance can improve.
Agencies were asked about the challenges they see for their programs and services in the future. Many are already anticipating trends and considering how they might deliver fairer and better programs to Australia’s diverse population.
For example, changes in the demographics of Australian diverse communities present a particular challenge to SBS. Census data indicate new immigrant communities from the Asia Pacific and African regions are growing, while traditional post-war European immigrant communities are aging. SBS needs to provide new services to these growing communities while maintaining existing levels of service to established communities.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority needs to take into account regional settlement of migrant and Humanitarian Program entrants in increasing the public’s understanding, acceptance and compliance with the provisions of the zoning plan for the marine park. Some may not be familiar with the Australian Government’s approach to environmental protection and safety issues.
The Migration and Refugee Review Tribunals deal with particularly diverse clients. They are drafting guidance for clients, their representatives and tribunal members to cover cases where a client’s physical, mental, psychological or intellectual condition or age could impact on their ability to participate in the review process.
Given the increasing number of migrants meeting skill shortages in the building industry, the Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner is working to ensure that its information and services are available to non-English speakers.
Comcare faces the challenge of ensuring that employers within its jurisdiction provide workplace safety and occupational health information to their employees and contractors in ways that meet their diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including for those working temporarily in Australia or newly arrived.
Access to qualified interpreters for small and emerging communities is continuing to be a challenge for the Federal Court of Australia.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reports that a key issue involves addressing business and consumer behaviour that may be acceptable in some cultures but is not legal in Australia. This can be further complicated by a high level of trust between members of a cultural community and distrust of government agencies.
Some cultural and linguistic population groups have low screening rates in the National Cervical Screening Program, the BreastScreen Australia initiative and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, funded by the Department of Health and Ageing. An ongoing challenge is to communicate effectively and appropriately to these groups to increase awareness of, and participation in, these screening programs.
Cancer Australia is focusing efforts to meet the challenges posed by inequitable outcomes faced by culturally and linguistically diverse people, including those living in rural and remote areas. Addressing the needs of all sections of the community is a complex process involving all jurisdictions and requiring a coordinated and collaborative effort. A number of Cancer Australia’s programs are starting to make some headway linking the work of jurisdictions in the cancer control effort.
All agencies have a role in making the most of the opportunities and meeting the challenges arising from Australia’s cultural, linguistic and religious diversity. In general, they are making progress in improving their access and equity performance, responding to changing circumstances and pursuing innovation.
Developing and maintaining close links between government and the community can assist in early identification of issues and partnership possibilities in addressing them. This will be a major focus as the Access and Equity Strategy progresses. There will also be an increased focus on opportunities for agencies to share good practice leading to continuous improvement across government.
