Accessible Government Services for All Annual Report
Page 6
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Reporting analysis: Communication – Open and effective channels of communication with all stakeholders.
Community organisations commented that agencies should make a greater effort to employ counter staff from a wider range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. They also recommended all service delivery staff members make a greater effort to understand the backgrounds and experiences of humanitarian entrants in particular, to better understand why they may not access and use specific services.
In 2005-06, a range of government and non-government organisations used a variety of innovative and effective methods to inform all Australians about the services they provide.
Strategy (i) – Providing information in a timely manner, in appropriate media, publications, formats and languages.
DIAC successfully implemented the Shepparton Regional Humanitarian Settlement Pilot Project to settle 10 Congolese refugee families and developed an onshore orientation DVD for newly-arrived African humanitarian entrants to address communication challenges arising from low literacy. The DVD was developed in consultation with other agencies and covers a number of topics, relating to initial settlement for African humanitarian arrivals.
To improve client access to the legal system, the Family Court participated in a Living in Harmony programme partnership which piloted community-driven education strategies around the rule of law, the Australian legal system and family law, focusing on communities from Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia.
The Office of Hearing Services' products are available to consumers in 33 different languages. In addition, TIS and the National Relay Service are used by the office to ensure that their services are accessible to all Australians.
FaCSIA's National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) publishes information for families about choosing quality child care in 23 community languages. HREOC also provides a brochure in 14 languages which provides an overview of its role, function and legislation, plus publications and contact details.
During 2005-06, DEWR produced a range of publications in 13 community languages for job seekers from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds. The department produces a range of settlement planning information products. These include the Beginning a Life in Australia booklets, which are produced in English and 24 community languages to help new migrants and humanitarian entrants with their settlement process.
The Financial Literacy Foundation conducted an Understanding Money media campaign in 2006 via its website and a handbook. It provided accessible, easy-to-understand information about personal finances in seven community languages – Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) ensures that educational material about how to enrol and vote correctly is distributed in several community languages. A number of translated resources and publications have been developed, including two education videos on enrolment and voting for Mandarin-speaking and Cantonese-speaking citizens. The instructions page on the New South Wales electoral enrolment form was translated into 18 of the most common community languages. The translations are provided to AEC staff members to distribute directly to electors and to use in face-to-face inquiries.
As at 30 June 2006, Centrelink had 105 multilingual publications available on its website in 64 community languages. Centrelink also produces a fortnightly schedule of broadcasts on the SBS Radio network in 22 community languages on average, which are distributed to multicultural community radio stations across Australia, with a potential reach of 130 stations covering upwards of 400 programmes. Centrelink also operates its own in-house language services operation, which provides free onsite and telephone interpreters and translation services, including a national register of around 2300 interpreters who are skilled in 188 languages.
DOHA, the Federal Court of Australia, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, SBS and many other agencies have also produced information brochures in a range of community languages for their clients.
On 28 October 2005, HREOC launched the fourth edition of its publication titled Face the Facts. The booklet provides facts to counter common misconceptions and provides answers to some of the most common questions about Indigenous people, migrants and refugees in Australia. It is aimed at educating media representatives, school students and the general community. More than 30 000 copies of the booklet have been distributed nationally to schools, media outlets, community organisations and government agencies. Face the Facts was launched in conjunction with the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB). NSWFB has used Face the Facts in a practical and successful way through its programme to provide cultural awareness training for local fire station staff.
The ABC's Voice of Greece programme is broadcast by 1062 ABC Riverland in Renmark, South Australia. This radio station also broadcasts community service announcements and information on community issues, such as health, in six languages – English, Greek, Turkish, Punjabi, Vietnamese and Italian – to one of the most multicultural regions in Australia. In November 2005, the 774 ABC Melbourne Morning programme was broadcast live from the King Khalid Islamic College of Victoria. The programme explored the diversity of the Islamic community and looked at the divisions and rivalries within the community and the problems they have in common.
ABC Radio National's social history programmes such as Street Stories often feature a range of groups in Australian society. For instance, in September 2005 the programme Banana Masala: Fusing Indian and Australian Culture featured the voices of young Sikhs from northern New South Wales, and in March 2006 it covered the stories of three Melbourne cab drivers from Somalia. Many children's programmes on ABC-TV display cultural diversity through cast members, presenters and programme content.
Strategy (ii) – Recruiting and training staff who have appropriate linguistic and cultural skills or using interpreting services, to ensure effective communication with clients, as necessary.
CRS Australia has employed an Aboriginal Rehabilitation Liaison Officer in Sydney to provide direct assistance to jobseekers from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island backgrounds, to provide advice to CRS Australia staff about cultural issues, and to promote CRS Australia services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.
Centrelink created a network of approximately 70 Multicultural Service Officers (MSOs) across Australia, strategically placed where there are high populations of migrants and refugees. Centrelink also added more than 350 new people to its national register of interpreters, of which nearly half were engaged to cover an African language. Some of the newer languages were Krio, Madi, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Mandingo, Bari, Kissi, Fullah, Liberian English, Krahn, Kuku, Swahili, Luo, Akan and Mende.
In 2005-06, DIAC's network of community liaison officers at state and territory offices maintained contact with more than 6500 community organisations, individuals and government and non-government agencies with an emphasis on Middle Eastern, Muslim and new and emerging African communities.
Trades Recognition Australia assesses the trade skills of potential migrants to Australia. It bears the cost of interpreters and translators as part of its information dissemination and assessment provider role and maintains a register of bilingual staff to provide on-site assistance.
Strategy (iii) – Consulting appropriately with diverse communities and client groups about the development of policy, legislation and regulations, the implementation of programmes, and the delivery of services.
In Tasmania, the Family Court of Australia used playback theatre as a means of communicating information about family law to the Eritrean and South Sudanese communities as storytelling is widely used within those cultures. This is a good example of an innovative way to help reduce barriers that are often created by language and varying levels of literacy.
A project by HREOC, Engaging Muslim Communities and Police, aimed to facilitate dialogue between Muslim communities and police to help police respond to incidents of racial or religious hatred and abuse. The project culminated in August 2006 with forums in Victoria and New South Wales.
In 2005 the National Health and Medical Research Council developed a comprehensive resource Cultural Competency in Health: a guide for policy, partnerships and participation, to help health providers in developing cultural competency when working with Australians from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds.
The Violence Against Women, Australia Says NO campaign raises community awareness on the criminal aspects of domestic violence and sexual assault within intimate partner relationships. It is comprised of:
- awareness raising through television, radio, cinema, magazine and convenience advertising
- immediate practical support through a national, 24-hour seven day a week confidential helpline on 1800 200 526
- a website (www.australiasaysno.gov.au) which provides information on ways to help, which complements the helpline
- a curriculum resource targeted at year 11 and 12 students
- specific Indigenous and non-English speaking advertising in ethnic and Indigenous media.
The campaign published print advertisements in 14 languages in more than 40 ethnic newspapers. The campaign's 24-page booklet is also available in the 14 languages. The Indigenous-specific communication includes an ambassadors' programme with a range of campaign materials, such as a brochure and poster featuring the ambassador's image and message, and ambassador advertisements in popular Indigenous press and radio.