DIMA Annual Report 2000-01

Output 2.4: Appreciation of cultural diversity

Description

This output component covers policy advice on multicultural affairs, in particular implementing the Government's New agenda for Multicultural Australia.

Key results

• the Council for Multicultural Australia was established during the year to help the Government implement the New Agenda, together with the Interdepartmental Committee on Multicultural Affairs chaired by the department
  
  
• significant outputs during the year included:
  
  
  • organising the November 2000 Productive Diversity conference 21^st Century Business: Delivering the Diversity Dividend which was attended by some 250 people from business, education and government sectors
    
    
  • developing and testing a performance management framework for the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society. The results of this work were published in the 2000 Access and Equity Annual Report
    
    
  • promoting Harmony Day, which was held on 21 March 2001. Harmony Day 2001 provided an opportunity for all Australians to reflect on and celebrate our success as a culturally diverse and harmonious community. It received extensive positive media coverage
    
    
  • there was a high level of achievement and community support through 26 Living in Harmony partnerships. 24 partnerships had finished their projects by the end of 2000-01. A $2.5 million extension to Living in Harmony was announced in the Budget for 2001-02, to provide for extra grants and partnerships and for celebration of Harmony Day 2002
    
    
  • DIMA's State and Territory offices held over 4,000 consultations with community groups and government, business and non-government agencies to build coordinated working relationships, ensure all interested parties were included in the management of portfolio policies and programs, and negotiate on matters which had the propensity to affect community harmony
    
    
  • situation reports were prepared on issues such as the Middle East crisis and the Fijian crisis
    
    
  • the monthly Multicultural Issues and the Community Updates reports were produced to ensure the Minister and the department's Executive remained aware of community issues and concerns
    
    
  • the Annual Diary of Multicultural Events was produced, launched by the Minister, and distributed widely throughout Australia as a guide to dates of multicultural significance to Australia
    
    
  • the department administered a grant of $350,000 to the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) to enable FECCA to provide advice to the Government on the impact of Government policies and proposals on Australia's multicultural community.

Discretionary grants

The following discretionary grant programs were administered by DIMA in 2000-01:

• multicultural affairs
  
  
• Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy funding
  
  
• Community Settlement Services Scheme
  
  
• Living in Harmony grants program.

A list of grant recipients is available on request.

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