Australian Multiculturalism for a New Century: Towards Inclusiveness
1 Evolution of multicultural policy (continued)
National Agenda goals and principles The National Agenda accepted as its underlying principles the eight goals proposed by the Advisory Council on Multicultural Affairs in 1988. They are that:
The National Agenda further refined these goals into a definition based on three rights (expressed as dimensions) and three limits (based on obligations). The rights are:
The limits are:
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1.3 Progress
Commonwealth initiatives: changing emphases
The Commonwealth Government and Public Service were early to adopt the recommendations of the 1989 National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia.
While this commitment has continued during the 1990s, there has been a gradual shift in the emphases of policies and programs in support of each of the three dimensions of multicultural policy articulated in the National Agenda - cultural identity, social justice and economic efficiency. This evolution is continuing.
The emphasis of the cultural identity programs has moved from mainly helping ethnic communities to maintain their cultural practices to encouraging all Australians to understand each other better and to share their diverse heritage.
This responds to the objective of the National Agenda 'to encourage different cultural groups to share their distinctive heritage with their fellow Australians, and to encourage the mainstream of society to facilitate the expression of this diverse heritage’.
Initiatives have included: university and TAFE courses on cultural diversity, cross-cultural training programs and the introduction of workplace diversity plans by business and government; support for cultural activities, for example, grants for festivals and arts initiatives, directed to ethnic and wider community groups; community language programs; and programs in support of equal opportunity, tolerance, understanding of cultural differences and mutual respect.
Public sector programs under the social justice area of multicultural policy initially placed most emphasis on the rights of clients and how to help them overcome the language and cultural barriers they faced when seeking services or entitlements.
More recently the emphasis has been on practical measures by service providers to address the needs of clients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
This new perspective is reflected in changes to the access and equity strategy. In 1996 the strategy was refocussed as a Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society.
The main focus of the Charter is the acceptance that a diverse clientele has diverse needs and that service providers ought to be aware of these needs, and act on this awareness.
The aim is to cater to the needs of all clients in an open, non-discriminatory way.
The Charter was developed in consultation with, and has been adopted by, all State, Territory and Local Governments and represents a nationally consistent approach to government service delivery.
The economic efficiency area of multicultural policy initially concentrated on redressing the disadvantages that many migrants face in the workplace.
This included improved processes to help migrant workers to gain recognition of their overseas qualifications and skills, the provision of English language training, and a variety of workplace programs designed to assist them to better understand and assert their rights.
Such programs continue, and are essential to enable all Australians to participate and contribute to our society to their full potential.
In the early 1990s, however, another aspect of economic efficiency that began receiving public policy emphasis was the promotion of the economic benefits that can be gained by capitalising on Australia’s wealth of cultural and linguistic skills and on the social and business networks of migrants in the Australian community.
The profile of Australia’s population now reflects the diversity of the whole world, and this has positioned Australia to succeed in the global marketplace by using our multicultural assets.
Under the banner of productive diversity, a term adopted in 1992, the Commonwealth has implemented a number of initiatives promoting the economic benefits that can be derived from our cultural diversity in both the domestic and international markets.
State and Territory commitment to multiculturalism
All State and Territory governments have adopted multicultural policies and each has established a government body that addresses multicultural and ethnic issues (see Appendix D for details). Their commitment is evident in pledges, policies and programs that have a number of common themes, including:
- the right of all individuals to maintain and foster their cultural identity;
- recognition of the advantages in effectively harnessing the linguistic and other resources of the culturally diverse community for the economic benefit of the State or Territory;
- a commitment that Government and community structures give equal access to people from non-English-speaking countries to enable them to enjoy and fully participate in the social, economic, political and cultural life of the State;
- a commitment to the elimination of racism and prejudice, and freedom from discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion and ethnic background;
- a commitment to ensure that the needs of migrants, particularly those from non-English-speaking countries, are taken into account in the formulation of policies and the provision of services and programs.
State and Territory educational institutions offer many courses that address cultural diversity. They provide students with an understanding of and respect for cultural heritage, reflecting a widely held recognition of the need to communicate across cultural lines.
Everyday life
Diversity is also accepted as part of everyday life by Australians and is widely viewed as very positive.
The submissions received through the Council’s consultative process also reflected the fact that many Australians routinely enjoy a very wide range of cultural activities and diverse cuisine.
Research shows that Australians take pride in the cosmopolitan nature of our society today, a society in which many customs retain the essence of their diverse ethnic origins, though sometimes influenced by the Australian environment. The result is distinctly Australian.
The Council’s consultations reveal that there is wide acceptance of the everyday benefits of cultural diversity, but that we should now move beyond notions of food and dance.
Benefits in areas such as trade and investment, scholarship and research, diplomacy and international collaboration, sports and leisure, hospitality and tourism, and all aspects of the arts should also be highlighted.
Youth
To many young Australians, cultural diversity is the norm. It is what they have grown up with.
A very interesting insight into the thinking of young Australians is found in the 1998 report of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Young people speak about Identity and Australia’s Cultural Makeup.
The report analyses the 7,000 responses to the Commission’s If I could make a difference postcard campaign, which asked Years 10 and 11 students to complete the thoughts, If I could make a difference I’d ... and Being Australian means ...
The report sees the responses as the voice of a new generation which has experienced a different kind of world to any previous generation in Australian history.
What these young Australians say indicates the emergence of a new attitude regarding what is normal in Australia.
They do not see multiculturalism or ethical ideas such as anti-racism as some form of unwarranted 'political correctness’ that is imposed by 'cultural elites’, but as a very ordinary and practical part of everyday experience.
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