A New Agenda for Multicultural Australia
What is Australian multiculturalism?
The term Australian multiculturalism summarises the way Australians address the challenges and opportunities of cultural diversity. It is a term which recognises and celebrates this diversity.
It accepts and respects the right of all Australians to express and share their individual cultural heritage within an overriding commitment to Australia and the basic structures and values of Australian democracy. It also refers specifically to the strategies, policies and programs that are designed to:
- make our administrative, social and economic infrastructure more responsive to the rights, obligations and needs of our culturally diverse population;
- promote social harmony among the different cultural groups in our society; and
- optimise the benefits of our cultural diversity for all Australians.
Foundation and principles of Australian multiculturalism
Australia has built a social infrastructure of institutions, traditions and processes on a democratic foundation. Cultural diversity is one of the great social, cultural and economic resources.
Australian unity in this diversity is based on such moral values as respect for difference, tolerance and a common commitment to freedom, and an overriding commitment to Australia's national interests.
For multicultural Australia to continue to flourish for the good of all Australians, multicultural policies and programs should be built on the foundation of our democratic system, using the following principles:
- civic duty, which obliges all Australians to support those basic structures and principles of Australian society which guarantee us our freedom and equality and enable diversity in our society to flourish;
- cultural respect, which, subject to the law, gives all Australians the right to express their own culture and beliefs and obliges them to accept the right of others to do the same;
- social equity, which entitles all Australians to equality of treatment and opportunity so that they are able to contribute to the social, political and economic life of Australia, free from discrimination, including on the grounds of race, culture, religion, language, location, gender or place of birth; and
- productive diversity, which maximises for all Australians the significant cultural, social and economic dividends arising from the diversity of our population.
Plan of action
To take forward multicultural policy, the Government has adopted a plan of action, contained within the Government's December 1999 statement, A New Agenda for Multicultural Australia.
The plan includes providing Commonwealth leadership to, and cooperation with, other spheres of government, the private sector and the wider community in relation to diversity management programs, and fostering closer working relationships with these sectors. The Government will:
- facilitate partnerships within sectors of Australian government by means of a 'Diversity Australia' website which will not only act as a coordination point for information of national significance but also facilitate international networking;
- implement a public information and education strategy to raise awareness and understanding of the benefits of Australia's cultural diversity, counter myths and misunderstandings and promote behaviour patterns and attitudes that build community harmony;
- continue to promote the productivity and performance improvements achievable through diversity management strategies including partnerships with the private sector; and
- promote an 'outreach' program to encourage harmonious relationships between people or organisations of different cultural backgrounds.
Next: A New Agenda for Multicultural Australia, Prime Minister's foreword
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