DIMIA Annual Report 2001-02
EXTENT TO WHICH AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP IS VALUED
'As a citizen of Australia I have the freedom of an individual and I am allowed to be the master of my own life. This is a priceless right.'
Rajinder Kaur, Tasmania
The Australian citizenship rate of eligible overseas born was estimated to be 75.1 per cent at June 2001.
This compares with a take-up rate of 65 per cent in 1986 and compares favourably with other migrant receiving countries. The citizenship rate in the USA has been estimated at 50-60 per cent.
The department continued its work on the implementation of the government's response to the report of the Australian Citizenship Council, relating to broad-ranging issues about the place of the concept of citizenship in Australian society, promoting awareness and modernising Australian citizenship law and policy.
The amendments to the Australian Citizenship Act 1948, including repeal of section 17, attracted very positive responses from individuals and organisations in Australia and overseas. Legislative and policy change flowing from the amendments has been completed.
'I'm a very proud Australian who has waited 30 years to hear the good news. Multiple citizenship is a positive force for world peace.'
Email of appreciation sent to DIMIA after repeal of section 17
The department undertook a national Australian citizenship promotion campaign between July and October 2001 to promote acquisition of Australian citizenship and to enhance awareness of citizenship in the community.
The campaign was highly successful resulting in a 56 per cent increase in the number of applications (persons) for citizenship during the life of the campaign and a significant increase in requests for citizenship application kits and visits to the department's citizenship website.
EXTENT TO WHICH AUSTRALIANS APPRECIATE CULTURAL DIVERSITY
'Australian multiculturalism is for and about all Australians. It encourages people to maintain their cultural heritage within an overriding commitment to Australia and the basic structures and values of Australian democracy.'
Mr Benjamin Chow, Chairman, Council for Multicultural Australia, March 2002
The active implementation of the New Agenda for Multicultural Australia confirmed the government's continued commitment to maximise the benefits of cultural diversity.
Support for the policy of Australian multiculturalism and its economic, social and cultural benefits was shown through reactions to the attacks on the United States of America on 11 September 2001, increased tensions in the Middle East and other challenges to community harmony.
Through contact with grassroots community organisations in their own states and territories, and key links with mainstream organisations such as the Australian Local Government Association and Rotary, the Council for Multicultural Australia effectively promoted Australian multiculturalism in partnership with the department and the Interdepartmental Committee on Multicultural Affairs.
Mr Benjamin Chow was appointed as Chairman of the Council for Multicultural Australia in March 2002.
Community relations issues and concerns continued to be managed through building contacts and close consultations with a wide range of community groups by the department's community liaison staff.
Key issues on which close liaison was maintained and advice provided to government included the on-going ethnicity and crime debate, the community implications of the 11 September terrorist attacks and the community impact of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The department supported participation in the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and related Intolerance (WCAR), held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001.
The then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator the Hon Kay Patterson, led the Australian delegation, which comprised government and non-government representatives.
Australian involvement contributed to positive outcomes from the conference, including dialogue on Indigenous issues, the benefits of cultural diversity, national human rights institutions and human rights education as key elements in the global fight against racism.
An Australian Government-staged multimedia display, We Are Australian, proved very successful. It was visited by an estimated 4,000 people and attracted favourable comments from both WCAR and non-government organisation participants.
The Living in Harmony initiative continued to build upon the success of earlier work, with the announcement of 37 new community grants to promote harmony and address issues of racism at the local level.
Six new partnerships were announced to address issues at a more strategic, national level. Harmony Day 2002 made a significant impact through a large number of community groups, businesses, government and non-government agencies participating in activities to reflect on Australia's success as a multicultural society and to say 'no' to racism.
An evaluation of the first phase of the Living in Harmony initiative was undertaken in late 2001.
The evaluation found that each of the three elements of the Living in Harmony initiative – a community grants program, partnerships program, and an information strategy including Harmony Day -provided a solid framework for the initiative, with each element contributing to its overall objectives.
The outcomes of the evaluation will be used to inform the planning and implementation of the new phase of the initiative commencing in 2002-03, and to develop resource and promotional information.
'The ABC's Charter reflects the principles underpinning the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society. Specifically, in the provision of broadcasting programs that contribute to a sense of national identity and inform and entertain, and in reflecting the cultural diversity of the Australian community and ensuring that broadcasting services take into account the multicultural character of the Australian community.'
The Australian Broadcasting Commission, Access and Equity Annual Report, 2001
Recognising the need for more effective reporting on achievements of the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society, the department continued to work on a new self-assessment framework for Commonwealth agencies.
The aim was to ensure that implementation can be appropriately monitored. As foreshadowed in 2000, all Commonwealth portfolio agencies were invited to report against a set of 16 performance indicators contained in the framework.
Overall, portfolio agencies have met the challenge of the new reporting process and the testing of the performance indicators.
'Our products and services reach a growing number of men and women in countries throughout the world. Increasing the diversity of our workforce, dealer network and supplier community increase our access to talent while helping us better understand our customer's needs and creating valued products and services.'
Ford Motor Company, Case Study in Diversity and Sustainability, April 2002
Major educational institutions and businesses demonstrated strong support for the productive diversity program during the year, joining with the department to produce practical educational materials, tools and resources for applying diversity management more effectively in the Australian workplace.
The continued success of this program is being monitored through ongoing engagement of the business community.