Australian Multiculturalism for a New Century: Towards Inclusiveness
Appendix B - community consultations (continued)
Globalisation and productive diversity
Many submissions supported multiculturalism, believing that Australia should concentrate on the management of diversity in the interests of the whole community. They said the country must grasp the unique opportunity offered by the globalisation of markets and communication systems. Some respondents expanded on this point to argue that Australia should harness the linguistic and cultural advantages that our diverse society offers:
... multiculturalism is not only crucial to achieving a socially cohesive society in Australia, it is a philosophy that will need to be increasingly adopted if we are to cope with the world becoming more of a 'global village’ ... we need to act to reinforce and expand the key features of Australian multiculturalism, both for our society and as an example internationally. (Dr Andrew Theophanous MP, VIC)
Australia has gained and continues to gain international recognition in many aspects of its relationships with the rest of the world for its policy of multiculturalism. If we step back from and dissipate the policy in any way now, that recognition and the resulting status within the global community will be lost. (Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council Inc, NSW)
Summary
In summary, on the one hand, respondents saw multiculturalism as something to be proud of and necessary for the maintenance of harmony in modern-day Australia. They stated that multiculturalism should not be put aside and that governments should actively promote it. Multiculturalism was seen not only as crucial to achieving a socially cohesive society in Australia, but also a philosophy that will need to be increasingly adopted in the future if we are to continue to interact globally. These respondents considered that the key features of multiculturalism needed to be promoted domestically and internationally.
On the other hand, respondents were uncomfortable with the term 'multiculturalism’ and doubted its worth. They saw the policy as contributing to a general sense of unease; of separatism and divisiveness. Some had the perception that migrants are given special rights and privileges that are not available to other Australians; a negativity which appeared to stem from their interpretation of multiculturalism as policy for migrants only.
List of Contributors*
* Some organisations have changed their titles since lodging submissions. In all cases, titles that were current at the time of lodging have been used. Also, some contributors, although using organisational letterhead, indicated that the submission was a personal one.
Individuals
| Dr Faiza Al-Ani, NSW Anna W Barker/Eileen Lustig, NSW Dr Ian Barns, WA Peter Bastaja, NSW Dr Krzysztof Batorowicz, QLD Julie Beere, SA Josie Black, VIC Harry Blackley, VIC Patricia Brook, VIC Fay Byrne, NSW Prof Desmond Cahill, VIC Jeffrey Chan, NSW Shirley Keng Childs, NSW Mary Chiu David & Margo Combe, WA Mirelle Curtis, NSW Vlado Damjanovski, NSW H de Balzac, NSW Eric Di Losa, NSW Robyn Driscoll, NSW Dr L Edwards, QLD Robert M Fels, VIC Maria Fenech, QLD Ian Finlayson, QLD Dr Maureen H Fitzgerald, NSW Nola Frawley, VIC Ivan Frkovic/Marjorie Droste, QLD Isabella & Stephen George, NSW Dr Rupert Goodman, QLD Alan Gosnell, NSW Editha C L Hall, QLD Stan Hamilton, VIC Astrid Herlihy, WA Rev Jim Houston, VIC D A Hunt, SA Peter Hutten, NSW Hugh L Hyland, WA M T Illich, WA Philip N Jack, WA James Johnson, VIC Dr James Jupp, ACT |
Prof Mary Kalantzis/Dr Bill Cope, VIC Andre Kiss, NSW Dr Kim Kuneman, QLD Glen R Lamperd, QLD Dr Jozef Latten, QLD Harry Levy, ACT Robin Linke, WA Ross D MacGregor, QLD Ian Macindoe, NSW A Manson, NSW Dr Yoshimi Matsuda, VIC Kevin McManus, NSW Evonne Moore, SA Margaret Moraitis, VIC G O’Connor, VIC Janice G Pavils, SA Steve Playford, SA Alfredo Reposi, SA John Ridd, QLD Frank J Robinson, NSW Sergio Romeo, SA Neil Ryan, VIC Lori Salam, QLD Louise Samways, VIC Elspeth Sharp, VIC John Shaw, WA Richard Skiba, VIC Valerie Staddon, QLD Jo ann Stenton, VIC B G Stephens, SA Salvatore Tedesco, SA Dr Andrew Theophanous MP, VIC Mersina Tonys-Soulos, NSW Roger Van Der Veen, NSW Therese Verschuuren, QLD R J Waddington, NSW Christian Warner, NSW Yvonne Webber, ACT Keith Whitfield, NSW Dr P R Wilkinson, VIC J Woodbridge, NSW |
Organisations
Adult Multicultural Education Services & Australian Council of TESOL Assoc, VIC
ANGLICARE NSW - Migrant Services
Anti-Discrimination Board of New South Wales
Australian Arabic Council, VIC
Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, ACT
Australian Catholic University, NSW
Australia-China Friendship Society, NSW
Australian Chinese Community Association of New South Wales Inc
Australia Council for the Arts
Australia First Party, VIC
Australian National University, Department of Linguistics, ACT
Australian Sports Commission
Australian Teacher Education Association, Central Queensland University
Baptist Churches of New South Wales
Blacktown and Mt Druitt Migrant Interagency, NSW
B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission, VIC
Buddhist Council of Victoria Inc
Cabramatta Community Centre, NSW
Centrelink
Cherrybrook Chinese Community Association Inc, NSW
Chinese Australian Forum, NSW
Chinese Australian Services Society Co-operative Ltd, NSW
Chinese Christian Church of Victoria
Coffs Harbour Multicultural Access and Resource Service (MARS) Inc, NSW
Commonwealth Departments:
Communications and the Arts
Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs
Health and Family Services
Industry, Science and Tourism
Workplace Relations and Small Business
Veterans’ Affairs
Council of Women of Diverse Cultural Background, SA
Country Women’s Association of Western Australia (Inc)
Curtin University of Technology, WA
Ecumenical Migration Centre, VIC
Ethnic Affairs Commission of New South Wales
Ethnic Child Care, Family and Community Services Co-operative Limited, NSW
Ethnic Communities Council of Logan Inc, QLD
Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW Inc
Ethnic Communities Council of the Northern Territory Inc
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Ltd
Ethnic Communities Council of Tasmania and Tasmanians Against Racism
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria
Ethnic Communities Council of Wagga Wagga Inc, NSW
Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia
Executive Council of Australian Jewry, NSW
Fairfield Migrant Interagency, NSW
Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia Inc
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, NSW
Greek Senior Citizens Club, Red Hill and Mornington Peninsula, VIC
Greek Welfare Centre, NSW
Hewlett-Packard Australia
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council Inc, NSW
Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association of NSW Inc
Inner West Ethnic Network, NSW
Language and Society Centre, Monash University, VIC
Law Society of New South Wales
Lightning Ridge and Region Transcultural Community Council, NSW
Marrickville Youth Resource Centre, NSW
Metal Trades Industry Association
Migrant Resource Centre of Newcastle and the Hunter Region Ltd, NSW
Moreland City Council, VIC
Multicultural Communities Council of SA Inc
Multicultural Interest Group, Speech Pathology (VIC Branch)
National Catholic Education Commission, ACT
National Film and Sound Archive
NSW Adult Migrant English Service
NSW Association of Multicultural Education
NSW Migrant Resource Centre Forum
NSW Multicultural Arts Alliance
Office of Ethnic Affairs, Dept of the Chief Minister, NT
Office of Ethnic and Multicultural Affairs, Dept of the Premier and Cabinet, QLD
Racial Respect, ACT
Returned & Services League of Australia Limited
SA Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission
Special Broadcasting Service Corporation
Telstra
Victorian Arabic Network Inc
Western Australian Government
2 submissions were submitted unsigned, 1 wished to remain anonymous.
Next: Australian Multiculturalism for a New Century: Towards Inclusiveness - key official reports
Previous: Australian Multiculturalism for a New Century: Towards Inclusiveness - community consultations 1