DIMIA Annual Report 2004-05
Output 2.4-Promoting the benefits of cultural diversity
DESCRIPTION
This Output provides leadership for the implementation of multicultural policy, in consultation with Australian Government agencies. It will:
- enhance community harmony, through the Living in Harmony initiative, including significant commitment to Harmony Day, and the management of tensions and threats by working closely with individuals and communities and cooperating closely with state and territory governments
- make further gains in the implementation of the Access and Equity Strategy, by ensuring that all government services are attuned to Australia's diversity and respond accordingly and consistently with the requirements of the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society
- seek to further engage the public and private sectors to use Australia's language and cultural diversity for the economic and social benefit of all Australians, through the "Diversity Works!" Program.
HIGHLIGHTS
The department began an extensive evaluation of multicultural policy and programs, including the Living in Harmony initiative. The evaluation incorporates:
- a stocktake of outputs and outcomes
- surveying and consulting with stakeholders such as the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia and the Council for Multicultural Australia
- roundtable consultations targeting a broad range of interests and constituencies beyond our usual stakeholders, including representatives from the private and community sectors, religious organisations, sporting bodies and local government
- an analysis of the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the program
- formulating future directions for a new policy proposal.
A record number of 2754 Harmony Day events were sponsored by governments, community organisations, schools and other educational institutions, and the 17 Harmony Day partners. Independent media monitoring advice suggests Harmony Day has become a permanent fixture on Australia's multicultural calendar and that the media and their audiences are much more aware of Harmony Day and its messages than in previous years.
The department sought to improve grant applications and develop innovative approaches to targeting local issues of racism. Departmental officers met with community groups in Brisbane, Newcastle, Townsville and Wagga Wagga to discuss specific issues of racism and the potential for response through the community grants program. This contact has informed the development of focus areas for the 2005 community grants round and, together with information sessions in a number of centres, has resulted in an improvement in the quality of grant applications from these areas.
In 2004-05 the Living in Harmony initiative's partnerships program deepened its involvement in strengthening relationships between major Australian institutions and Australia's multicultural communities, particularly within the court system and among law enforcement agencies. A major goal has been improving the trust and confidence of new and emerging communities around the rule of law as a foundation of Australian society. The program has continued its focus on youth and has entered into a number of new strategic partnerships with key organisations from the media sector and from among local government.
A "Diversity Works!" Information Kit was launched by the Minister in March 2005 at a business luncheon "Diversity Works!" Program 'Engaging the New Europe' hosted by the European Australian Business Council (EABC) and the department. The kit includes a Guide for Business to better use the language and cultural skills of Australia's diverse workforce. Ten new case studies covering public, private, cross industry sectors and small, medium and large corporations were provided for the kit. The Diversity Australia website was upgraded and restructured to improve its usability to coincide with the launch of the new kit.
The circle of Harmony at the Harmony Day celebrations in Southport, QLD.
The National Centre for Vocational Education Research was commissioned to consult with each education sector to identify key educational concepts and courses in order to link the Diversity Australia website resources to them to better promote diversity management education across the three sectors (schools, vocational education and training and higher education). The guides are being finalised following national trialling. Feedback from around the country during the trialling has been very positive.
There was a further increase in the number of agencies reporting on the implementation of Access and Equity. Sixty-four Australian Government agencies reported in 2004 compared to 58 in 2003. Statistics on the number of performance indicators that were met well were incorporated into the 2004 Access and Equity Annual Report. Seventeen local governments and nine new Australian Government agencies provided contributions for the first time.
Community Liaison Officers in all states and territories maintained contact with local and national community organisations, providing information to communities and reporting on community tensions and related issues of concern to communities. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the department provided reports on community reactions and contributed to the Government's coordinated response effort.
We continued to promote local government responses to cultural diversity through case studies on our website, sponsoring a category of the National Awards for Local Government, and supporting a leading practice seminar in South Australia.
Workshops on aspects of multicultural policy were held at the international conference 'Transformations: Culture and the Environment in Human Development' in February 2005, and the annual conference of the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils in May 2005.
Output 2.4-Promoting the benefits of cultural diversity
Figure 72: Performance information-Promoting the benefits of cultural diversity
Figure 72: continued
Figure 72: continued
Objective
To provide policy advice on Australian multiculturalism in order to ensure that cultural diversity is a unifying force in Australia leading to social cohesion and community harmony.
Description
This Output covers implementation of the Government's multicultural policy, reflected in Multicultural Australia: United in Diversity, Strategic Directions for 2003-06. The strategic directions are community harmony, access and equity and productive diversity.
Analysis of performance
The department's state and territory offices contacted more than 8000 community groups and individuals, government and non-government agencies. The aim was to build coordinated working relationships, ensure all interested parties are included in the management of portfolio policies and programs, and negotiate on matters that could affect community harmony. State and territory offices maintained more intensive contact with more than 3000 individuals and community organisations.
Community leaders continue to report satisfaction with ongoing liaison and consultation by the Ministers and the department. Departmental Multicultural Issues Reports and Community Updates Reports provided the Ministers and Executive with information about broad community issues and, together with advice received from other Australian government agencies, helped update our community relations strategy. The strategy ensures readiness to address major community relations tensions that may arise in the future.
During the year, the department monitored and provided advice to the Ministers on community harmony and inter-faith issues, and threats to community relations, such as instances of racial and religious vilification and property vandalism. The main challenges to community harmony in Australia continued to be expressions of hostility towards Australian Muslims, anti-Semitic incidents, anti-Asian activity within parts of the community, perceived links between criminal behaviour and ethnicity, and a distrust of African arrivals, especially youth by some in the community.
We produce an annual multicultural diary that highlights the range of important events, festivals and days, both cultural and religious, celebrated throughout Australia. In 2004-05, almost 6000 copies were distributed to federal, state and territory members of parliament, local councils, diplomatic representatives, community organisations, schools and individuals.
As part of an internal evaluation of multicultural policy and programs, including the Living in Harmony program, the department developed a targeted consultation strategy that included:
- provision of an advice paper by the Council for Multicultural Australia
- consultation with the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia
- surveying key stakeholders of multicultural programs to seek their views on the effectiveness of programs and possible future directions
- community consultations targeting a broad range of interests and constituencies beyond our usual stakeholders, including representatives from the private and community sectors, religious organisations, sporting bodies and local government
- seeking the views of Australian and state and territory departments and agencies on multicultural policy, programs and possible future directions.
Harmony Day, 21 March 2005, which recognises and celebrates Australia's inclusiveness as well as its diversity, and which coincides with the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, received increased public support in 2005. In particular, there was strong public endorsement from 17 Harmony Day partners from business, media, sporting and peak community organisations.
Participation from partners, chosen for their strong national profiles and proven credentials as corporate and social leaders, increased from over 250 events in 2004 to over 330 in 2005. In all, the department's website recorded a total of 2754 registrations for Harmony Day events. Twenty per cent were from government, 14 per cent from community organisations, 53 per cent from schools and other educational bodies and 10 per cent from businesses.
Media coverage of Harmony Day 2005 increased marginally from 2004. While there was a drop in press coverage, there was a welcome increase in Internet coverage, the preferred medium for young Australians.
Figure 73: Volume of media coverage, Harmony Day 2004-05
Independent media analysis indicated that the media and their audiences were much more aware of what Harmony Day was in 2005 and that it is now a permanent fixture on Australia's multicultural calendar.
There was a distinct emphasis on the educational aspect of celebrations this year. Readers of press articles were encouraged to enhance their own understanding of the concept of multiculturalism by acknowledging the many and varied cultures living in their local community.
The department managed seven Living in Harmony partnerships and contracting was proceeding for an eighth.
The 42 new Living in Harmony grants awarded in 2004 focused on issues affecting Indigenous Australians, Australians in rural and regional areas, Australian women (with a particular emphasis on Muslim women), and older Australians.
In preparation for the 2005 community grants round, the department conducted information sessions in Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Launceston and Perth. Departmental officers also met with community groups in Brisbane, Newcastle, Wagga Wagga and Townsville to discuss specific issues of racism and the potential for response through the community grants program. Following this contact, we received several excellent grant applications from these organisations and others dealing with the issues. This community contact also helped to inform the focus for the 2005 grants round on issues concerning new and emerging communities.
Sixty-four Australian Government agencies (58 in 2003) reported on their performance against the Performance Indicators set out in the Performance Management Framework of the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society. Of these agencies, 63 met all of the performance indicators relevant to them, and 52.5 per cent of all indicators were met well. Local governments and nine new Australian Government agencies provided contributions for the first time.
The department facilitated workshops on aspects of multicultural policy at the 'Transformations' conference, held in February and the annual conference of the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia in May 2005.