Australia’s multicultural policy Diversity has become a fact
of Australian life, and most Australians see it and live with it every day. The
debate over multiculturalism has however moved in different directions in
recent years. The ALP has essentially abandoned its commitment to the concept
and does not have any policy articulation at present. The ruling
Liberal-National coalition, under John Howard, has defined a version of
multiculturalism which reinforces the existing cultural hierarchy; reduces
government support for cultural preservation; Australia’s multicultural policy and
pushes integration and inter-faith dialogue as the way forward.
In 1999, the federal
government had adopted the term 'Australian multiculturalism', stressing upon
the word 'Australian' and asserted the importance of social cohesion and
allegiance to Australia. Three aspects of the 'Australian multiculturalism' are
noteworthy.
i) Cultural
Preservation: Multiculturalism in Australia is a historic accord between the
dominant society and the incoming ethnic and racial minorities. It entails that
in exchange for the right to live, work and to prosper in Australia, immigrants
would owe their primary allegiance to the Australian polity. The polity in
recognition would validate their communal values and linguistic choices within
an agreed pattern of acceptable diversity. Australia’s multicultural policy A
significant change between the early 1990s and now is that whereas governments
were providing some funds towards cultural preservation, they have now
declined. The governmental view now is that communal matters are issues of
choice, not policy; and that communities, if they so desire, could raise and
commit their own resources for such affairs.
ii) Religion
and Public Life: In the 1990s, religion was not the central issue in the debate
on multiculturalism. Religious diversities were part of the ethnic differences.
Since 9/11 however, religious differences are seen as important. The 400,000
Muslims have experienced a growing wave of social hostility, much of which is
focused on Muslim communities from West Asia and those who wear distinctive Muslim
dress. Incidents such as the Bali bombing have led to violent incidents against
Muslims. Much worse, local problems of violent and organised crimes take on
dimensions of religious conflict. Australia’s multicultural policy These issues
have focused policy attention on inter-faith dialogues; and government and
community sponsored symbolic displays of inter-cultural collaboration and
unity. In the process of such cooperation between government and community
organisations, some attention might have also been paid to the deeplyrooted
problems of unemployment and inequality.
iii) Economic
Transformation and Human Capital: In its original meaning, multiculturalism had
meant that governments will not allow discrimination and economic inequality to
grow along ethnic and racial lines.
In recent years, this kind of a
commitment has waned. Australia’s multicultural policy
With market economic
approaches dominating the policy making, many ethnic groups,
who had entered
Australia as poor and with low level of education and skills, are getting
ghettoised as lowincome, high-unemployment and violence-ridden under-classes.
In conclusion, one can say that
'Australian multiculturalism' is conservative and controlling of cultural
differences. Such posturing and policy perspective creates an Australian polity
that's high-handed and socially disconnected. 'Australian multiculturalism', in
situ of enhancing social cohesion, is producing social tension and disharmony
and therefore the polity is taking recourse more and more to controlling the
dissidence and difference with a coercive approach
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