Output 2.4 Promoting the benefits of cultural diversity

Highlights

Following the endorsement of the National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security by the Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (MCIMA) in July 2006, the Australian Government committed $35 million over four years for the implementation of measures that focus on education, employment, the integration of communities and enhanced national security.

As part of this commitment, the department received $15.1 million over four years to address the needs of more isolated groups in Australian society.

In September 2006 the department supported the Conference of Australian Imams, which was a Muslim Community Reference Group (MCRG) initiative. Over 150 participants, including 100 imams, Muslim leaders, women and youth attended the event. Participants issued a communiqué condemning all forms of terrorism and recognised the important role of imams.

The MCRG’s final report was released publicly in December 2006 and at 30 June 2007, 42 of its 48 recommendations had been addressed under the National Action Plan.

Building on the outcomes of the National Muslim Youth Summit staged by the MCRG in December 2005, youth summits were held in various states and territories in Australia during 2006-07 to develop strategies for dealing with issues of concern.

In 2006-07, the department continued to work closely with other Australian government agencies, state and territory governments and non-government organisations on 67 projects addressing the priorities of the National Action Plan. The projects supported practical solutions to counter isolation and marginalisation, and engaged the Australian community in better understanding issues arising from Australia’s cultural and religious diversity.

The department sought feedback from a range of community representatives and organisations on the accessibility of government services, including the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) and the department’s community liaison officer network, which reaches around 6500 community groups around Australia.

Consistent with the focus of the Living in Harmony programme, Harmony Day 2007 successfully engaged schools and community groups to promote Australian values including respect, participation and a sense of belonging for everyone.

More than 400 000 people participated in Harmony Day events across the country with Cricket Australia’s CricKids Australia’s Biggest Cricket Game being the first Harmony Day event organised on a coordinated national scale. The event involved 921 schools and around 148 000 people playing cricket on the same day.

Objective

Provide policy advice and implement cultural diversity programmes to promote social cohesion and contribute to enhancing national security.

Description

This output covers implementation of the Australian Government’s cultural diversity policy and programmes.

Performance

The 2006 Census highlighted the growing diversity of Australia’s population. According to the census Australians represented more than 200 different ancestries and more than 300 different languages, including Indigenous languages, were spoken in homes across Australia. The department’s network of state and territory community liaison officers plays an essential role in monitoring community relations through extensive contacts with community groups and individuals.

This network allows communities to raise issues of concern and also enables the government to distribute information to all sections of Australia’s diverse society more effectively. This is particularly useful for new and emerging communities and in times of conflicts and emergencies, such as in the Middle East. On an informal basis, community leaders have expressed appreciation for the department’s role in facilitating consultation between government and communities.

The department monitored community relations and inter-faith issues and provided advice to ministers and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on community issues and concerns. It also facilitated the development of strategies to address tensions within and between communities and advised on messages to communities.

The department liaised closely with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) during the year to ensure relevant and practical outcomes for members of Australia’s diverse society.

Table 70: Promoting the benefits of cultural diversity – performance information

Measures	Results
Quantity
Number of items of policy and other advice provided to the Australian Government and other governments, international agencies and community organisations.	Forty-two items of advice relating to international issues. Seventeen items of briefing to overseas governments. Fifty-five items of policy and other advice to Australian Government agencies. More than 150 items of advice to other government agencies on community issues.
Council for Multicultural Australia (CMA) meets quarterly, represents the minister at functions and provides advice on multicultural policy and programmes to the minister and the department.	The CMA’s term expired on 30 June 2006.
Liaison maintained with approximately 6000 community organisations and individuals nationally.	Contact maintained with around 6500 community organisations and individuals. Indirect contact with communities was facilitated through FECCA.
An estimated six Living in Harmony partnerships, three projects to highlight the economic benefits of cultural diversity, 18 Harmony Day partners managed and an estimated 300 local government authorities engaged through grants and Harmony Day participation.	Sixty-nine Living in Harmony funded community projects were managed in 2006-07. Twelve Living in Harmony partnerships were implemented in 2006-07. Organisations funded included: Cricket Australia, Australian Football League, Special Broadcasting Service, Surf Life Saving Australia, Sutherland Shire Council, Together for Humanity Foundation, Macquarie University, Jewish Community Council of South Australia, Murdoch University and the Australian Red Cross. Six Living in Harmony ad hoc discretionary grants were made in 2006-07.Two hundred and twenty-seven local government Harmony Day events were registered.
Promotional events and activities organised by the department and communities, particularly regarding Harmony Day.	In 2007, more than 400 000 people participated in Harmony Day events across the country. High profile organisations such as Cricket Australia, Surf Lifesaving Australia, National Rugby League, Macquarie Bank Sports, Woolworths, Guides Australia and Scouts Australia organised Harmony Day events. Other prominent Harmony Day events included the Macquarie Bank Sporting Clinics and the Essendon Football Club Harmony Day events ‘Walk in Harmony’ and ‘Kicking Goals for Harmony’.
An estimated 45 projects were implemented and completed under the National Action Plan to address extremism and intolerance and encourage social cohesion.	In 2006-07, the department oversaw the implementation of eight projects funded by other Australian government agencies including four pilot projects. Twenty-four projects funded by the department were started in 2006-07. One was completed and 23 are ongoing. Thirty-five projects started in 2005-06 continued in 2006-07. Of these, 23 have been completed and 12 are ongoing.
Number and level of participation in consultations to address extremism and encourage social cohesion.	In 2006-07, the department supported various rounds of consultations under the National Action Plan. The Muslim Community Reference Group comprising of 14 men and women from various Islamic communities in Australia. Another 20 members of its 7 sub-groups provided recommendations to the government on countering marginalisation and isolation and promoting integration. Conference of Australian Imams more than 150 people, including community leaders, women, young people, imams, and international speakers participated in the Conference of Australian Imams held in September 2006. Youth Summits in the state and territories – five departmental Youth Summits were held in 2006-07 completing the process commenced in 2005-06. About 240 young people engaged in open discussion on issues such as employment, education, mentoring and volunteering, and suggested possible solutions.
Number of completed ministerial correspondence, briefs, speeches, situation reports, community update reports and other documents as required.	Two hundred and ninety-two submissions and briefs and 1222 ministerials. One hundred and twenty-seven speeches. Three newsletters on issues relevant to local government. Eleven community update reports and 15 situation reports.
Quality
High level of satisfaction by recipients of policy and other advice.	The minister/parliamentary secretary/assistant minister and departmental executive expressed a high level of satisfaction with advice provided.
High level of satisfaction by the minister and parliamentary secretary/assistant minister with the Council for Multicultural Australia and Muslim Community Reference Group (MCRG) activities.	The minister/parliamentary secretary/assistant minister and departmental executive expressed a high level of satisfaction with management of the CMA and MCRG.
Extent to which engagements with government agencies, community groups, organisations and individuals enhance inter-governmental and community relationships; extent to which community relations issues are well managed; extent to which advice on these is accepted by the minister and the parliamentary secretary, departmental executive and communities.	In its coordination role for the NAP, the department continued to enhance relationships by engaging with government agencies, stakeholders, and organisations, as well as supporting the community through NAP project initiatives. Inter-government and community relationships were enhanced through the community liaison officer network, supporting ministerial engagement with community representatives and contributing to a whole-of-government response to various crises affecting sections of the Australian community, including the evacuation from Lebanon in 2006.
Living in Harmony partnerships and projects meet their agreed objectives within agreed periods and are completed to satisfaction of the minister, parliamentary secretary and other stakeholders.	All Living in Harmony projects and partnerships which commenced in 2006-07 met agreed objectives.
High level of satisfaction of the minister and the parliamentary secretary with the outcomes of projects under the National Action Plan.	The minister/parliamentary secretary/assistant minister and departmental executive expressed a high level of satisfaction with progress of projects.
High level of satisfaction expressed by participants in community forums relating to the NAP with outcomes produced.	The Conference of Australian Imams was praised by participants and was widely seen as a successful initiative. Attendees at the state and territory youth summits were surveyed at each event, with a majority labelling the events as valuable and beneficial. The summits were rated as excellent by 75 per cent of participants.
Positive impacts of promotional events and activities as assessed by media reporting and community participation.	Significant levels of media reporting and community participation continued in 2006-07.
High level of satisfaction of the minister, parliamentary secretary, departmental executive and other stakeholders with reports and documents provided.	The assistant minister commented favourably on the timeliness and quality of briefing and other documents provided. Regular positive feedback from ministers’ offices and the departmental executive was also received. The July 2007 progress report on National Action Plan implementation received endorsement by the Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (MCIMA).

The National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security

The National Action Plan is a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) initiative. The National Action Plan provides a framework for the promotion of a more tolerant and inclusive society through government action, community consultation and research. It focuses on four areas of implementation: education, employment, integrating communities, and enhancing national security.

As the lead agency, the department is responsible for implementation of the plan through:

• coordinating the whole-of-government implementation of the National Action Plan, liaising with other Australian government agencies, monitoring and reporting to COAG through the Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (MCIMA)
• funding partnerships with state and territory governments and with non-government organisations to implement community-based projects
• supporting community engagement through formal and informal consultation forums.

In 2006-07, the department hosted and provided the secretariat for two National Action Plan IDC meetings and nine pilot working group (PWG) meetings, including two with NSW government agencies. The PWG was established in July 2006 to assist with the coordinated implementation of pilot programmes in Lakemba and Macquarie Fields in Sydney.

The Australian Government coordinated implementation of the National Action Plan with all states and territories. Community outcomes were achieved in areas such as employment, training and education through community programmes which helped raise awareness of job opportunities and training options.

For example, a Royal Life Saving Society Australia programme developed links between Muslim community groups, the Society and local aquatic facilities, providing skills leading to employment in aquatic careers and trained 700 students in water safety skills.

The department funded and managed non-government organisations to implement community based-projects across Australia to:

• encourage interaction
• enable communities to build capacity and develop leadership skills
• ensure that communities have involvement and ownership of the National Action Plan objectives.

An example of this is the Young Australian Muslim of the Year Awards which recognise and encourage the contribution young Muslims make to the Australian community. It also helps encourage young Muslims to become civic minded, engage in philanthropy and achieve personal success.

The department continued to consult and connect with the community in 2006-07 through formal and informal channels. The Muslim Community Reference Group (MCRG), the Conference of Australian Imams, and Youth Summits achieved a greater understanding of the needs and concerns of Muslim Australian communities, which in turn informed the development and implementation of the National Action Plan. Commentators recognised that the voices of women and youth gained greater prominence and were influential in shaping the National Action Plan directions.

The coordinated implementation of the National Action Plan has the potential to contribute to a stronger, more cohesive and secure community for all Australians.

Research undertaken in 2006-07 has provided better knowledge of ‘what works’ in community cohesion and integration. The research has been taken into account in the implementation of the National Action Plan.

The department reported to MCIMA on development and implementation of the NAP in 2005-06 and 2006-07. This involved the collection, collation and analysis of data from state and territory governments and Australian Government agencies, as well as non-government organisations.

Accessible government services

A new access and equity framework, Accessible Government Services for All, started in January 2007. The department coordinated a report on accessibility incorporating contributions from 101 agencies (97 agencies in 2005-06).

The department consulted with a range of community representatives and organisations to gather feedback on the accessibility of government services in 2005-06, including the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia and the department’s community liaison officers’ network.

The report contains a number of examples where agencies have been innovative and resourceful in communicating information to their diverse clientele. These included the Family Court of Australia, which used playback theatre as a means of communicating information about family law to members of the Eritrean and South Sudanese communities in Tasmania and Centrelink, which has 105 multilingual publications on its website in more than 60 community languages. Many agencies have demonstrated a real commitment to tailor their services to meet the needs of their clients.

Living in Harmony

Participation in Harmony Day grew in 2007 with over 400 000 Australians taking part across the country. Harmony Day’s continuing success is due to the ongoing support it receives from a wide range of community groups.

Consistent with the new focus of Harmony Day on school and youth engagement, the number of schools participating in Harmony Day activities increased by 15 per cent from 2325 in 2006 to 2681 in 2007.

All levels of government supported Harmony Day and promoted the objectives of the programme. Local government constituted 43 per cent of all government participation in Harmony Day followed by the Australian Government (29 per cent) and state government (28 per cent). Local councils were among the most frequently mentioned in media coverage for Harmony Day. Media analysis indicated that in many cases local government spokespeople played a vital role in linking community events to the wider themes and messages of Harmony Day.

Total Harmony Day media coverage totalled 1666 items, with the volume of press coverage increasing to 1095 articles in 2007 from 1068 in 2006.

Table 71: Media coverage of Harmony Day 2006-07

Measures	Results
Press articles	1 095
Radio coverage	416
Television coverage	155
Total reports	1 666
Average favourability (full transcript only)	61.4
Leading state by volume	NSW (572 mentions)

During 2006-07, the department managed 69 Living in Harmony funded community projects to foster community harmony by addressing community issues at the local level. An example is a community project awarded to the Wollongong City Council to explore cultural diversity and issues of intolerance faced by young people in the area through a series of workshops in 10 schools across the region.

Living in Harmony partnerships included the involvement of the Australian media, educational institutions, business, government and community organisations. Many of the partnerships focused on the enhancement of community interfaith issues, education, Indigenous Australians and new and emerging communities.

For example, the Jewish Community Council of South Australia received funding to deliver Project Abraham in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.

The project is an interfaith initiative which promotes dialogue by exploring commonalities between the three Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is a travelling exhibition open to the broader Australian community.

A two-day interactive schools programme is also organised. The project has been extended to the Northern Territory, Newcastle and remote areas of South Australia.

Project Abraham has been showcased internationally as a model of enhancing understanding and acceptance among different religions.

The 2006-07, the Federal Budget committed additional funding of $400 000 per year to the Living in Harmony programme for ad hoc discretionary grants to support local projects and responses to emerging issues outside the annual funding round.

For example, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s project Footprints, worked with students from six local schools and used drama workshops and visual arts to explore the journey of local refugee families to Australia to promote positive attitudes towards inclusion and diversity. Six ad hoc discretionary grants were awarded in 2006-07.

The National Rugby League (NRL) Multicultural Programme has also received funding to encourage acceptance of diversity among young people in southern and western Sydney. Activities included visits to 77 schools, involving more than 70 000 students. Students received a workbook highlighting diversity among rugby league players. Parents have also been involved in the project though activities run by local NRL and junior league clubs.