Roach, Neville --- "Migration & Multiculturalism: Towards Inclusiveness" [1999] ALRCRefJl 27; (1999) 75 Australian Law Reform Commission Reform Journal 41

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Reform Issue 75 Spring 1999

This article appeared on pages 41 – 45 of the original journal.

Migration & multiculturalism: towards inclusiveness

Multiculturalism has become a defining feature of Australia’s national identity, largely as a result of migration. There is every reason to expect that the Australian community will become even more diverse in its racial, ethnic, cultural and linguistic mix over the next decade.

The National Multicultural Advisory Council’s report, ‘Australian multiculturalism for a new century: Towards inclusiveness’, released in May this year, argues inclusiveness is the key to developing a multicultural society that can meet the challenges of the future. Neville Roach* gives this summary of the Council’s report.

The Council starts from the proposition that Australian multiculturalism has been built on our free democratic system, which contains a balance of rights and obligations. The basic structures and principles of Australian democracy make us a free society, but our freedom in practice is dependent upon our fulfilling our mutual civic obligations. As Australians we have equal rights and equal obligations, but while all Australians have a right to expect equal opportunities, our society does not guarantee equal outcomes. As Australians, we owe loyalty to Australia, whose laws, institutions and traditions guarantee our basic human rights.

The protection of basic human rights is a constitutive principle of our nation that is of fundamental importance to the development of Australian multiculturalism. Not only has our democracy evolved in such a way as to give rise to multiculturalism, but our democratic institutions and traditions also provide the foundation and framework that enable diversity in many forms to flourish in our society.

The best way to ensure that multicultural Australia continues to develop as an essentially harmonious society, for the good of all Australians, is to protect and strengthen our democratic values and institutions and to continue to build multicultural policies and programs on the foundation of our democratic system.

Our democracy does not seek diversity in our society as an end in itself; rather it welcomes and values diversity as a great cultural, social and economic resource. While it exalts individual rights and obligations, one of the hallmarks of our society is its active and vibrant group life. People from all walks of life belong to a variety of groups, and a pluralist democracy such as ours is enriched when people come together on the basis of their shared values and interests. Our democracy gives Australians the freedom to express their identity within multiple affiliations and according to a wide range of cherished traditions and customs. At the same time it seeks unity built on such values as respect for difference, tolerance, commitment to freedom and an overriding commitment to Australia’s national interests. These values bind us in our diversity and make us a political community.

The Common Bond

It is important to explore the relationship between multiculturalism and concepts of ‘citizenship’. Throughout its report the Council uses the terms ‘Australian Citizen’ and ‘Australian Citizenship’ when referring to the legal status defined in the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 (Cth). The terms ‘citizen’ and ‘citizenship’ are used when referring to membership of the wider Australian community, which is shared by Australian Citizens and permanent residents, and to the rights and obligations that flow from such membership including the desirable civic values of the community.

In its legal sense, Australian Citizenship dates from January 26, 1949, when the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 (Cth) (later renamed the Australian Citizenship Act) came into force and the status of Australian Citizen came into existence. The establishment of Australian Citizenship was an important practical and symbolic step in the development of Australian nationhood. It provided a distinct status of being ‘Australian’ and a legal basis for full and formal membership of the Australian nation. Australian Citizenship has played an important unifying role in the development of Australia’s nationhood and the modern multicultural society that has evolved with it. The Council, therefore, recommends that every effort be made to encourage all residents eligible to become Australian Citizens to do so.

An aspect of the debate of more direct interest to the Council is the relationship between citizenship and multiculturalism. Some writers have used the combined phrase ‘multicultural citizenship’, while others argue that the concept of multiculturalism should give way to that of citizenship.

In the Council’s view the concepts are interlinked, but each is important in its own right. Citizenship should be seen primarily as a bond or glue, consisting of shared membership in a political community – a commitment to the Constitution and the laws, the rights and obligations and the core values and practices of Australian democracy. This expanded idea of citizenship acknowledges the place and role of Australian multiculturalism as defined in the Council’s report. The Council sees the relationship between citizenship and multiculturalism as symbiotic and complementary.

In fact, the reason Australian multiculturalism is a great resource for all Australians is precisely because, at its core, are the same values that are embedded in the notion of citizenship, including respect for difference, tolerance and a commitment to freedom and equal opportunity. Nor does multiculturalism represent a threat to unity, because while our democracy gives all citizens the freedom to retain cherished traditions and customs, it also requires an overriding commitment to Australia’s national interests. Multiculturalism will enhance unity if it develops the increased inclusiveness recommended in the Council’s report.

Australian Culture – Inclusive of Us All

A strongly expressed view in some of the public submissions – from respondents who claim ‘Anglo’ or ‘old Australia’ heritage – is that multiculturalism is a negative and divisive feature of Australian society, showing disdain for people of Anglo-Celtic origins and denigrating Australian culture by promoting other cultures as more worthy. They argue that this contributes to a general sense of unease and causes unacceptable levels of separateness in society. While acknowledging that the assimilationist policies of the past asked too much of migrants, these respondents criticised multiculturalism for asking too much of Australian-born people.

In the Council’s view, Australian multiculturalism, far from denying Australian culture, is one of its major achievements. In turn, multiculturalism is an integral part of Australian culture and is helping to shape that culture.

The freedom that our democracy guarantees includes the freedom to express and maintain one’s cultural and artistic preferences. Of course cultural maintenance is not something aimed at simply maintaining a cultural status quo, but includes the development of new and evolving cultural practices.

Australian culture is dynamic. It starts with and retains its links to our total heritage, but is not a fossilised entity that remains static from the time a particular group sets foot on Australian soil. Rather it is a living, changing and interacting set of life patterns. It has been modified and enhanced by the arrival of many migrant groups. It continues to be developed by the evolution of ideas and customs within Australia and by global influences.

^{Because of the pervasive influence of multiculturalism on the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of all Australians, now and in the future, it warrants leadership and positive support and commitment from political, public service, business and community leaders, educators, the media and individual Australians. Without such leadership, divisive and intolerant views and attitudes can spread to the point where they threaten community harmony, causing significant social and economic stress and damage. Through strong leadership, the benefits of our diversity can be maximised, and enjoyed by all Australians.}

The Council particularly emphasises the critical importance of political leadership and urges support across the political spectrum so that the ongoing development of multiculturalism enjoys the consensus that marked the 1989 National agenda for a multicultural Australia.¹

While recognising the importance of free political debate, the Council urges all political leaders to avoid unnecessary and divisive point-scoring and to decline to lend support to or confer any political respectability or credibility on individuals or parties that espouse policies that violate the spirit of the Joint Parliamentary Statement of 30 October 1996.²

‘Australian’ – An Inclusive Prefix

One of the issues the Council was asked to consider was terminology, of which the terms ‘multicultural’ and ‘multiculturalism’ are the most important.

The adjective ‘multicultural’ is frequently used to mean ‘multi-ethnic’ or ‘culturally diverse’, and there would appear to be little disagreement in the community that this is an appropriate word to describe Australian society.

The Council is aware that the noun ‘multiculturalism’, which denotes an active public policy, appears to generate stronger reactions, both positive and negative, than the adjective ‘multicultural’. Nonetheless, the term ‘multiculturalism’ has served the Australian community well and best describes our positive acceptance of the reality and significance of our cultural diversity and the proactive approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities arising from it. The Council also notes that opinion polls indicate a high level of support for multiculturalism. Therefore, the Council has recommended the continued use of the term, with the addition of the prefix ‘Australian’, wherever appropriate, to recognise that our implementation of multiculturalism has been uniquely Australian.

To achieve the objective set out in the Council’s terms of reference of ‘ensuring that cultural diversity is a unifying force for Australia’, it is essential that there is clarity in the understanding and use of the term ‘multiculturalism’. The Council acknowledges the challenge arising from the wide differences in understanding of the meaning of the term ‘multiculturalism’. Accordingly, the Council has recommended the following definition:

“Australian multiculturalism is a term which recognises and celebrates Australia’s cultural 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 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;
• optimise the benefits of our cultural diversity for all Australians.”

Principles

The foundation of Australian multiculturalism is our free democratic system. Our society will function best if we base our actions on the following principles for living with cultural diversity.

Civic duty – All Australians are obliged to support the basic structures and principles of Australian society – our Constitution, democratic institutions and values – which guarantee us our freedom and equality and enable diversity in our society to flourish.

Cultural respect – Subject to the law, the right to express one’s own culture and beliefs involves a reciprocal obligation to accept the right of others to do the same.

Social equity – All Australians are entitled to equality of treatment and opportunity enabling them to contribute to the social, political and economic life of Australia, free from discrimination on the grounds of race, culture, religion, language, location, gender or place of birth.

Productive diversity – The significant cultural, social and economic dividends which arise from the diversity of our population should be maximised for the benefit of all Australians.

These principles should be adopted as the basis of an enhanced and refocused multicultural policy framework. The initiatives recommended in the Council’s report are directed to translating these principles into action.

Diversity dividends

While the Council strongly recommends continued funding of multicultural programs, it stresses that, as for all public spending, such funding must be fully justified and subject to the highest standards of transparency and accountability. The Council proposes three objective criteria arising out of cultural diversity, one or more of which must be met to warrant public expenditure. The criteria are: individual or group need; social justice and equity; and benefit to Australia.

However, the Council stresses that most of this public expenditure is an investment that enables Australia to maximise the benefits from its cultural diversity. These investments, many of which are frequently grouped together under the banner of productive diversity, serve our strategic national interests and produce substantial dividends that accrue to the entire Australian community.

Cultural diversity enables nations and organisations to meet the challenges and reap the benefits of global markets, global competition and continuous rapid change in a number of ways and Australia, as one of the most multicultural nations in the world, is particularly well placed to receive these benefits. The benefits of cultural diversity will not, however, be fully realised without effective proactive management. This needs to maximise the potential benefits and minimise its potential disadvantages.

Future multicultural policy must give high priority to initiatives in education and training that promote the principles of productive diversity and develop the skills needed to maximise the diversity dividend. Similarly, we need to assist our culturally diverse population to participate fully in the economic, social and cultural life of our nation through English language training and promotion of multilingual communications.

Relevant to all Australians

Multiculturalism in its inclusive sense is crucial to our developing nationhood and Australian identity. It should emphasise the things that unite us as a people – our common membership of the Australian community, our shared desire for social harmony, the benefits of our diversity, our evolving national character and identity.

By emphasising the inclusive nature of the concept and practice of Australian multiculturalism, the Council is seeking to correct the misconception that it is concerned mainly with immigration and minority ethnic communities. The Council strongly endorses the view that multiculturalism is about and for all Australians and that it is concerned with our present and evolving ‘citizenship’, national character and identity.

Multiculturalism is relevant to all Australians, both as a description of the kind of culturally diverse society we seek and as a public policy. It is an important objective, therefore, that multiculturalism seeks to embrace and be embraced by all Australians. It must be seen as relevant to the interests of all sectors of the Australian community – our original inhabitants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as all other Australians, whether born here or overseas and whether of English- or non-English-speaking origin.

It is important and appropriate to specifically acknowledge the role the receiving community, comprising both Australian and overseas born, has played, particularly over the past 50 years, in welcoming migrants from all over the world, thus helping to build modern multicultural Australia. While the receiving community has itself become progressively more multicultural, Australians whose origins are wholly or partly from Great Britain and Ireland can take pride in their heritage for its substantive contribution to the development and success of Australian society. This is exemplified in the underlying philosophy and principles and the essential components of Australia’s democratic system, which is the foundation on which our society has been built, and in our special social values of mateship and a ‘fair go’, which contribute so much to community harmony.

The Council needs to stress its deep concern about the state of relations between Indigenous people and the wider community. Indigenous people have suffered much injustice and oppression and as a group continue to suffer significant disadvantage relative to the rest of the Australian community. It should be a matter of the highest priority – for both moral and practical reasons – that all Australians now address these fundamental issues which must be resolved fairly and honourably if we are to achieve true reconciliation.

The future

The Council is optimistic about Australia’s future as a culturally diverse society and is confident that Australian multiculturalism will continue to be a defining feature of our evolving national identity and contribute substantial benefits to all Australians.

There is every reason to expect that the Australian community will become even more diverse in its racial, ethnic, cultural and linguistic mix over the next decade. Distinctions will blur as dominant and minority cultures adapt and coexist. These interactions and influences will give rise to new variations of Australian culture.

Inclusiveness is the key to the principles of Australian multiculturalism recommended by the Council. These principles articulate the essential balance of rights and obligations that are necessary to a just and united society. They have evolved over our history as a nation and have helped Australia meet challenges to our social harmony.

The capacity, good sense, goodwill and determination of the Australian people to constructively address the challenges we face should give us all confidence that we can and will continue to reap the dividends of our cultural diversity and together achieve the vision for Australian multiculturalism recommended by the Council of:

“... a united and harmonious Australia, built on the foundations of our democracy, and developing our continually evolving nationhood by recognising, embracing, valuing and investing in our heritage and cultural diversity.”

* Neville Roach is the Chairman of the National Multicultural Advisory Council.

Endnotes

1. Dept of Prime Minister & Cabinet, Office of Multicultural Affairs, National agenda for a multicultural Australia: shaping the future, AGPS, Canberra, 1989.

2. The Joint Parliamentary Statement reaffirmed the importance of maintaining Australia as a tolerant and open society, united by an overriding commitment to our nation and its democratic institutions and values, and denounced racial intolerance in any form as incompatible with the kind of society we are and want to be.