CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL -8.30 P. M.
PRIME MINISTER
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, DINNER FOLLOWING
OPENING OF THE FEDERATION OF ETHNIC COMMUNITIES COUNCIL
OF AUSTRALIA HEADQUARTERS, SYDNEY., 26 APRIL 1984
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING AS WE
CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF THE NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR THE
FEDERATION OF ETHNIC COMMUNITIES COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA,
IDO NOT BRING TO YOUR AREAS OF INTEREST SOME CONCERN RECENTLY
ACQUIRED AS PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA. FOR FROM MY EARLIEST
TIME OF CONTEMPLATION ABOUT OUR GREAT COUNTRY I HAVE PERCEIVED
MUCH OF THAT GREATNESS, AND POTENTIAL FOR GREATNESS, TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH OUR READINESS TO OPEN UP OUR LAND TO THOSE
WHO WOULD JOIN US FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.
IN JOINING THE* AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY IN MY FIRST YEAR AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF W. A. IN 1947, AND IN ESTABLISHING THE FIRST
BRANCH OF THE PARTY THERE IN 1948, ONE. OF THE REASONS WAS A
SENSE OF EXCITEMENT AND IDENTIFICATION WITH THE VAST
IMMIGRATION PROGRAM THEN BEING INITIATED BY THE GREAT LABOR
GOVERNMENTS OF THE WAR AND IMMEDIATE POST-WAR PERIODS.
IN MY WAY, THEN, I ATTEMPTED TO PLAY SOME PART IN THIS
OPENING UP PROCESS BY ESTABLISHING ALSO THE AUSTRALIAN-OVERSEAS
STUDENTS CLUB AT THE UNIVERSITY TO BR[ NG CLOSER TOGETHER THOSE
FROM DIVERSE NATIONAL BACKGROUNDS,
2.
AND AS PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS
IN THE DECADE OF THE 1970' s I PARTICIPATED FULLY WITH THE'
GOVERNMENTS OF BOTH POLITICAL PERSUASIONS IN THEIR WORK
DEALING WITH IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS.
AND SO I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, PROUDLY, AS ONE WITH
ALMOST FORTY YEARS OF COMMITMENT TO, AND ACTION IN SUPPORT
OF THOSE CONCEPTS AND ISSUES WHICH ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ALL
OF YOU,
THE FEDERATION IS MAKING AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE
QUALITY OF AUSTRALIAN LIFE, YOUR ROLE IN PROMOTING JOINT
ACTION AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES ON
ISSUES OF COMMON CONCERN IS CRUCIAL, YOURS IS NOT JUST
A CO-ORDINATING ROLE, YOU ALSO HAVE A ROLE IN HELPING TO
ENSURE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA ARE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN AUSTRALIAN LIFE ON AN EQUAL BASIS,
AS WELL YOU HAVE A ROLE IN ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
YOUR CONGRESS LATER THIS YEAR WILL BE A LANDMARK IN BRINGING
ETHNIC COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA TOGETHER.
THE DISTINCTIVE CONTRIBUTION THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES MAKE TO
OUR SOCIETY ENSURE$ A RICHER, MORE DIVERSE AND BETTER
AUSTRALIA, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PARTICULAR MENTION OF THE
CHINESE COMMUNITY, UNDERSTAND THE SUPPORT EXTENDED BY THE
CHINESE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VITAL TO THE FEDERATION. MORE
SPECIFICALLY I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE NEW HEADQUARTERS
HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CONSIDERABLE
GENEROSITY OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY THIS GENEROSITY IS TO
IE APPLAUDED.
AT* THE HEART OF THE FEDERATION' S TASK HAS BEEN THE PROMOTION OF
A: M4ULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA.
THERE IS NOTHING ffHIGH-FALLUTIN" OR 11NE W FANGLED" a ABOUT THE
IDEA OF A MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN
DEVELOPING TOWARDS A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY FOR NEARLY 200
YEARS AS EACH SUCCEEDING WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS HAS ADDED TO THE
DIVERSITY OF OUR CULTURAL TRADITIONS. THE PROCESS HAS
ACCELE RATED MARKEDLY IN MORE RECENT TIMES AND PARTICULARLY
SINCE THE END OF THE LAST WAR# THE EFFECT HAS BEEN THAT VIE
HAVE NOW DEVELOPED AS ONE OF THE MORE TRULY GLOBAL NATIONS;
OP THE WORLD.
L.
' MULTICULTURAL' IS MORE THAN A DESCRIPTIVE TERM TO DESIGNATE
A SOCIETY MADE UP OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS-IT IS ALSO AN
APPROACH TO POLICY FORMULATION AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION WHICH
SEEKS TO PROVIDE FOR EQUALITY OF ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY-IT
DESIGNATES A SOCIETY WHICH SUPPORTS A COMMON GROUP OF
INSTITUTIONS, LEGAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, WHILE LEAVING
INDIVIDUALS FREE TO MAINTAIN THEIR RELIGION, LANGUAGE AND
CULTURAL CUSTOMS. A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY IS A VITAL AND
TOLERANT AND PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY IN WHICH ALL GROUPS, BE
THEY ABORIGINAL, ANGLO-CELTIC, EUROPEAN, ASIAN, LATIN
AMERICAN, OR MIDDLE EASTERN, OR FROM ANY OTHER OF THE ETHNIC
GROUPINGS WE FIND IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, MAKE AN IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTION TO THE RICHNESS, THE DEPTH AND TRADITIONS OF
OUR NATION*
MR JEGOROW
SOME TIME AGO YOU SAID;
" AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE MAJORITY OF THE
WORLD'S CULTURES AND LANGUAGES. HAVE THE MEANS
TO BUILD UP A NATION WITH EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR
ALL AUSTRALIANS REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED OR CULTURAL
ORIGIN THAT IS A NATION THAT IS SOCIALLY COHESIVE,
PROSPEROUS AND CONSCIOUS NOT ONLY OF ITS OBLIGATIONS TO
ITS OWN PEOPLE BUT ALSO OF ITS RESONSIBILITY TOWARDS
C:
POORER AND LESS FORTUNATE COUNTRIES-SUCH DEVELOPMENT
WILL NOT OCCUR ACCIDENTALLY BUT ONLY THROUGH GOOD WILL,
AWAR* ENESS AND RESPECT OF OUR COMMON HUMANITY, AND THE
REALISATION THAT ALL CULTURES HAVE POSITIVE ASPECTS
WHICH CAN BE SHARED,.
TIS I BELIEVE IS THE LOGIC OF A MULTICULTURAL APPROACHPERSONALLY
I-FULLY SUBSCRIBE TO ITFEw'OF
YOU HERE TONIGHT WOULD DISAGREE WITH THE BROAD TER~ MS
OF A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY-M'AN4Y OF YOU, HOWEVER, HAVE MORE
SPECIFIC CONCERNS, CONCERNS WHICH YOUR FEDERATION HAS BEEN
ASSI DUOUS IN DRAWING To THE ATTENTIONOF GOVERNMENTS. FECCA
HAS MADE SUBMISSIONS TO VARIOUS BODIES SUCH AS THE HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION AND THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION, TO REVIEWS
BEING. UNDERTAKEN SUCH AS THAT INTO THE SPECIAL BROADCASTING
SERVICE AND THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MULTICULTURAL
AFFAIRS. THE. FEDERATION ALSO MADE A USEFUL CONTRIBUTION TO
THE DELIBERATIONS OF THlE NATIONAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT LAST YEARONE
01e THE UNDJERLYING THEMES OF YOUR SUBMISSIONS HAS BEEN
THE CONCERN THAT THE NEXUS BETWEEN ETHNICITY AND
DISADVANTAGE BE BROKEN. THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT
SHARES THIS CONCERN. THE PARTICULAR CONTRIBUTION TO
AUSTRALIAN LIFE OF THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE
RECO6NISED AND APPRECIATED AS PART OF OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE-
6ΓΈ
THE GOVERNMENT GIVES PARTICULAR PRIORITY TO ITS SPECIAL
MIGRANT AND ETHNIC PROGRAMS AND SERVICE AS WELL AS TO
DEVELOPING MORE RESPONSIVE MAINSTREAM SERVICES THROUGH EQUAL
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS.
THE GOVERNMENT.-IS ALSO DIRECTLY , SUPPORTIVE OF BODIES. SUCH AS
THE FEDERATION-I CAN ASSURE YOU I RECOGNISE TNE IMPORTANCE
TO THE FEDERATION OF ADEQUATE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.
ANY SOUND IMMIGRATION POLICY MUST DE BACKED BY APPROPRIATELY
SUPPORTIVE EDUCATION POLICIESEDUCATIONAL
SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL TO HELPING NEW ARRIVALS BOTH
FEEL MORE AT HOME AND MORE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR
SOCIETY. THROUGH THE ADULT MIGRANT EDUCATION PROGRAM THE
COMMONWEALTH FUNDS " ON-ARRIVALM AND ' ON-GOING* ENGLISH
LANGUAGE TRAINING COURSES FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.
EXPENDITURC FOR THESE PROGRAMS ROSE BY OVER 14 PER CENT LAST
YEAR, AND INCLUDED PROVISION OF FUNDS FOR INCREASING THE
NUMBER OF PERMANENT TEACHERS IN THIS AREA. ARRANGEMENTS ARE
ALSO UNDERWAY TO ESTABLISH A NEW MATERIALS AND SYLLABUS
DEVELOPMENT CENTRE TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ENGLISH
LANGUAGE TEACHING THROUGH BETTER PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT-
7.
AS WELL, FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE
OCCUPATIONAL ENGLISH CLASSES FOR MIGRANTS IN THE WORKPLACEA.
MAJOR THRUST OF MY GOVERNMENT'S EDUCATION POLICY HAS BEEN
TO PROVIDE EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ALL
CHILDREN. WE AIM TO ENSURE THAT NO CHILD'S EDUCATION OR
DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE PENALISED BY ECONOMIC, SOCIAL OR
CULTURAL BACKGRfOUNDi LACK OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR LACK OF
SUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES. IN THIS REGARD ETHNIC CHILDREN'S
NEEDS COMMAND PARTICULAR ATTENTION.
WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN
ASSISTING MIGRANTS IN THE SETTLEMENT PROCESS THIS HAS BEEN
VERY MUCH PART OF OUR THINKING IN ADDRESSING EDUCATION
ISSUES* EXISTING COMMONWEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE BEING
CHANGED TO GIVE INCREASED EMPHASIS AND ASSISTANCE TO THOSE
SCHOOLS MOST IN NEED. THE GOVERNMENT HAS AN UNSWERVING
COMMITMENT TO THIS APPROACH. REGRETTABLY A
DISPROPRTIONATELY LARGE NUMBER OF ETHNIC CHILDREN ARE AMONG
THE STUDENTS OF SUCH SCHOOLS. INDEED I WOULD NOTE THAT THE
MAJORITY OF NEEDY GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS ARE
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT PRECISELY THOSE HAVING TO CATER FOR A
WIDE RANGE OF ETHNIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS-THE
NEEDS OF SUCH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A PARTICULAR PRIORITY
IN GOVERNMENT FUNDING ARRANGEMENTSAs"
THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO INTRODUCED THE PARTICIPATION AND
EQU~ iTY PROGRAM TO TACKLE CONCERNS WE HAVE BOTH AT THE LOW
NUMBERS OF CHILDREN COMPLETING FULL SECONDARY EDUCATION,
EITHER IN SCHOOL OR TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION, AND AT
THE INEQUALITY IN EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME FOR CHILDREN FROM
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. THIS PROGRAM HAS ALSO, IN LINE WITH
THE OENERAL THRUST OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF
M'ULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS REVIEW OF THE~ POST ARRIVAL PROGRAMS
AND SERVICES, GIVEN EMPHASIS TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF
M4IGRANTS. THE~ I$ OERNME14T RECOGNISES THAT THE LANGUAGES OF ITS ETHNIC
AND ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES ARE A VITAL NATIONAL RESOU~ RCEWE
ALSO ATTACH CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE PROVISION OP
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, PARTICULARLY USING A
BILINGUAL APPROACH WHEN CHILDREN DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH-IT
Is IMPORTANT THAT POLICIES IN THIS AREA BE PART Of A
CONERENTo PROPERLY CO-ORDINATED APPROACHIWOULD
ALSO NOTE THAT TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION
SERVICES ARE VITAL FOR ENSURING ACCESS TO COMMUNITY SERVICE
AND BENEFITS-
9..
YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT THE SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON
EDUCATION AND THE ARTS IS CONDUCTING AN INQUIRY INTO A
NATIONAL LANGUAGE POLICY. THEIR REPORT IS DUE IN THE MIDDLE
OF. THIS YEAR-IN THE MEANTIME COMMONWEALTH AUTHORITIES SUCH
AS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH AFFAIRS AND THE
BUREAU OF STATISTICS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING SURVEYS ON
LANGUAGE LEARNING IN SCHOOLS AND LANGUAGE USAGE INTHE
COMMUNITY. OUT OF THESE INQUIRIES AND REVIEWS I SHOULD HOPE
A BASIS MIGHT BE FOUND FOR ThE DEVELOPMENT OF COHERENT AND
APPROPRIATE POLICIES IN THIS IMPORTANT AREAMY
COLLEAGUE SENATOR RYAN, THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND
YOUTH AFFAIRS, HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE
NATIONAL ADVISORY AND CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION TO BE HEADED BY PROFESSOR
JAYASURIYA, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT'OF SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL
ADMINISTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. THIS
COMMITTEE WILL ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON THE CULTURAL
RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND CHANGES NEEDED TO THe EDUCATION
SYSTEM SO THAT IT BETTER REFLECTS THE ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF
THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY AND PROVIDES FOR EQUITY OF OUTCOMETHIS
COMMITTEE IS AN IMPORTANT STRENGTHENING OF THE LINKS
BETWEEN THE ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE EDUCATION
SYSTEM-I HAVE NOTED THAT THE FtOERATION HAS ITS OWN LINKS
WITH THIS IMPORTANT COMMITTEE-
WHEN MIGRANTS ADOPT AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP THEY TAKE ON THE
RIGHTS AS WELL AS THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THEIR NEW
NATI. ONALITY-* THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK TO FULFIL THEIR
DREAMS FOR FREEDOM AND ECONOMIC BETTERMENT FOR THEMSELVES
AND THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT OF RECOGNITION
THAT. THEIR CHILDREN ARE THE CHILDREN OF AUSTRALIA, AND THAT
THOSE AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN MUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DEVELOP THEIR FULLEST HUMAN POTENTIAL.
IT . IS BECAUSE OF THEIR DETERMINATION TO REALISE THESE DREAMS
FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN THAT WOMEN FROM ETHNIC
COMMUNITIES HAVE FOR SO LONG WORKED IN JOBS OFTEN INSECURE,
POORLY PAID, UNDER-UNIONISED AND UNHEALTHY. A LACK OF REAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY OF THEM TO LEARN ENGLISH HAS LED TO
THE PERPETUATION OF THESE DISADVANTAGES-IT IS NOW
WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-DOCUMENTED THAT THESE WOMEN SUFFER
PARTICULAR DISADVANTAGES RELATING TO HEALTH, OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH AND SAFETYj PSYCHIATRIC CARE, DISCRIMINATION IN
EMPLOYMENT, AND LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.
IN LINE WITH ITS ELECTION COMMITMENTS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS
TAKEN MANY INITIATIVES TO REDRESS THE PROBLEMS FACED BY
MIGRANT WOMEN-WE HAVE PASSED THE SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT,
WHICH WILL PROVIDE REDRESS FOR MIGRANT WOMEN WHO SUFFER FROM
DISCHIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING OR ACCESS TO SERVICES,
OR FROM SEXUAL HARRASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE'
rL II I 1II
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A MIGRANT WOMEN'S DESK IN THE DEPARTMENT
OF IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS, WE HAVE PROVIDED
SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS FOR CHILD CARE FACILITIES IN ASSOCIATION
WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES, TO HELP ENSURE THAT MIGRANT
WOMEN ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THOSE CLASSES, WE HAVE ALLOCATED
FUNDS WITHIN THE WOMEN's EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM TO
EMPLOY ETHNIC WORKERS IN WOMEN'S REFUGES, MIGRANT WOMEN
WILL BE REPRESENTED IN THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW ARRANGEMENTS
FOR CONSULTATION WITH WOMEN'S ORGANISATIONS AND INTEREST
GROUPS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
AUSTRALIA'S IMMIGRATION POLICY IS FIRMLY GROUNDED IN THE
POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINIATION INTRODUCED BY THE LABOR
GOVERNMENT IN 1973, AND CONTINUED BY THE COALITION. IT IS
APPLIED EVENLY REGARDLESS OF NATIONALITY, RACE OR CREED,
NO RACIAL GROUP OR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IS BEING FAVOURED BY OUR
MIGRATION POLICY.
A BIPARTISAN POLICY IN THIS AREA IS OP CRUCIAL NATIONAL
IMPORTANCE SPLITTING THE DEATE ALONG POLITICAL AND
PARTISAN LINES WOULD ONLY SERVE TO CAUSE WHOLELY UNDESIRABLE:
DIVISIONS WITHIN OUR SOCIETY.
12.
THERE IS NO DISCRIMINATION IN ANY PART OR ASPECT OF
AUSTRALIA'S IMMIGRATION PROGRAM-WE HAVE PUT BEHIND US
FOREVER THE DAYS WHEN ANY SUCH DISCRIMINATION MIGHT HAVE
BEEN ALLOWED TO OPERATETHE
RECENT INCREASE IN THE ASIAN PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL
MIGRATION PROGRAM IS A RESULT OF FACTORS SUlCH AS LESSENING
INTEREST IN SPONSORSHIPS FROM MIGRANTS IN MORE TRADITIONAL
SOURCE COUNTRIESJ THE PREVAILING PATTERN IN THE GOVERNMENT'S
REFUGEE PROGRAM AND THE STRONG PRIORITY GIVEN BY THIS
GOVERNMENT AND THE WHITLAM AND FRASER GOVERNMENTS TO THE
REUNION OF FAMILIES. PARTICULARLY THOSE CAUGHT IN TRAGIC
CIRCUMSTANCES OP WAR AND CIVIL STRIFEAUSTRALIA
HtAS A PROUD IECORD IN ASSISTING REFUGEES. MANY OF
YOU HERE WOULD KNOW THE ANGUISH, THE HUMAN SUFFERING, THE
HUMAN WASTE OF TIlE REFUGEES' PLIGHT. I BELIEVE AUSTRALIANS
WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT STRONGLY POLICIES PROVIDING FOR A
SUBSTANTIAL INTAKE OF REFUGEESTHE
GOVERNMENT BELIEVES, HOWEVER, THAT RESETTLEMENT ALONE IS
NOT THE ANSWER TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM. PROVISION SHOULD
ALSO BE MADE FOR VOLUNTARY REPATIIATION TO COUNTRIES OF
ORIGIN, ORDERLY DEPARTURE ARRANGEMENTS ( AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO
THE COST AND TRAUMA OF ILLEGAL DEPARTURES), AND INCREASED
INVOLVEMENT BY THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR
REFUGEES.
THESE ARE ALL NECESSARY ELEMENTS IN ANY SOUNDLY BASED
REFUGEE POLICY. THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TO SEE THAT ITS
OWN APPROACH-REFLECTS A BALANCED MIX OF' ALL THESE ELEMENT91
* PUTTING THE SAME POINT ANOTHER WAY -WE HAVE MOVED FROM A
SIMPLE RESETTLEMENT POLICY TO A POLICY WHICH SEEKS A VARIETY'
00OLtO NG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO A COMPLEX PROBLEM.
As REG ARDS IMMIGRATION POLICY MORE GENERALLY, THE
GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THAT ANY RETURN TO A DISCRIMINATORY
* QUOTA SYSTEM IN OUR MIGRATION PROGRAM WOULD BE A RETROGRADE
STEP. IT WOULD ENCOURAGE THE PREJUDICED. IT WOULD DEPRIVE
OUR COUNTRY NOT ONLY OF ITS INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AS A
HUMANE AND TOLERANT SOCIETY, BUT ALSO OF THE CREATIVE
VITALITY WHICH IS BUILT UP THROUGH THE CULTURAL
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ALL ETHNIC GROUPS.
IT IS SOMETIMES ASSETED THAT TODAY'S MIGRANTS ARE COMPETING
IN A MARKET WHERE JOBS ARE SCARCE AND DEPRIVING THOSE
ALREADY HERE OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES. WE NEED TO BE WARY OF
DRAWING TOO SIMPLISTIC CONCLUSIONS ON SUCH MATTERS. NEW
ARRIVALS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY-FEWER OF THEM
LATELY, NEED NOT NECESSARILY BE COMPETITORS FOR A LIMITED
NUMBER OF JOBS. AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY,. WHILE REFLECTING
A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CRITERIA. DOES INCLUDE A CONSIDERED
ASSESSMENT THAT THOSE ADMITTED ARE THOSE BRINGING SKILLS
IN SCARCE SUPPLY.
141.
A TOTAL* LABOUR FORCE PLANNING SYSTEM AS IT AFFECTS MIGRATION
POLI CIES IS EXPECTED TO OPERATE FROM THE BEGINNING OF
1984/ 85, IT WILL INVOLVE INTEGRATING FOR THE FIRST TIME
,~ AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PLANNING, EDUCATION AND IMMIGRATION
POLICIES. THE SYSTEM WILL INVOLVE A FORWARD ASSESSMgNT OF LABOUR
REQUIREMENTS IN THE APPROXIMATELY 60 MAJOR SKILLED
OCCUPATIONS, o IN WHICH INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION HAS RECENTLY
PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE, THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS HAS BEEN TASKED WITH PROVIDING AN
ANNUAL REPORT ON SKILLED LABOUR MARKET NEEDS FROM WHICH A
CEILING OF OCCUPATIONAL ANNUAL SHARES WILL BE SET FOR
SKILLED MIGRATION PURPOSES, THESE CEILINGS WILL BE
REASSESSED HALF YEARLY.
WHERE LONG TERM CHANGES IN THE BALANCE OF EDUCATIONAL
POLICIES AND PRACTICE ARE IDENTIFIED THESE WILL THEN BE FED
INTO THE COMMONWEALTH TERTIARY EDUCATION COMMISSION' S
TRIENNIAL PLANNING PROCESSg
MY COLLEAGUE THE MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS, MR WILLIS, ALSO EXPECTS TO USE THE RECENTLY
ANNOUNCED REVIEW OF COMMONWEALTH LABOUR M~ ARKET PROGRAMS AS A
BASIS FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING FLEXIBILITY IN TRAINING
AND RETRAINING SYSTEMS.
151
THE NEW STRATEGY IS TO COVER SHORT TERM SHORTAGES, AND IN
THE LONG TERM, CHANGE THE BALANCE BETWEEN DOMESTIC AND
OVERSEAS SKILLED LABOUR SUPPLY TO THE BENEFIT OF WORKERS
WITHIN AUSTRALIAl
THE OPENNESS OF OUR SOCIETY SHOULD ALLOW AUSTRALIANS TO
HOLD MANY DIFFERENT AND SUBSIDIARY IDENTITIES AND LOYALTIES
WITHOUT DETRACTING FROM OUR NATIONAL UNITY@ THE' OLD
STEREOTYPE OF THE ftTYPICAL AUSSIE" CAN GIVE US ALL SOME REASON
FOR HISTORICAL PRIDE BECAUSE IT EMBODIED MANY DESIRABLE
QUALITIES; BUT IF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY, WHICH ARE
AMONGST THOSE QUALITIES, ARE TO REMAIN MEANINGFUL CONCEPTS
IN TODAY'fS AND TOMORROW'Is AUSTRALIA, THEN THE VISION
OF OURSELVES As AUSTRALIANS MUST REFLECT THE CHANGING
REALITIES OF OUR DEMOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL COMPOSITIONt
MY GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ACHIEVIHG SOCIAL JUSTICE AND
EQUITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS; THROUGH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO
THE AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP ACT TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATORY
PROVISIONS; THROUGH THE INCLUSION OF PEOPLE OF NON-ENGLISH
SPEAKING BACKGROUND ON ADVISORY COUNCILS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE
BODIES; AND THROUGH MAKING GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES MORE
GENERALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES4
AUSTRALIA HAS CLEARED FROM ITS STATUTE BOOKS, BOTH STATE AND)
FEDERAL, MOST OF THE RELICS OF LEGISLATION WHICH
DISCRIMINATED ON THE BASIS OF RACE. THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
ACT IS A CORNERSTONE OF LEGISLATIVE PRACTICE IN THIS AREA.
lb,
BUT WE CANNOT REST UNTIL NOT ONLY THE STATUTES, BUT THE
PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF THE COMMUNITY ACKNOWLEDGE THE
INHERENT FAIRNESS OF NON-DISCRIMNATIONTHE
GOVERNMENT WILL BE ALLOCATING $ 200,000 OVER THE NEXT 3
YEARS TO COMMISSION PRODUCTION OF A SERIES. OF SHORT MEDIA
SEGMENTS TO PROMOTE RACIAL AND ETHNIC TOLERANCE IK
AUSTRALIA. THIS PROGRAM HAS MY PERSONAL ENDORSEMENT.
CONSIDER THAT COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE ONE OF THE
BEST WAYS OF ADVANCING THE GENERAL CAUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
RACIAL TOLERANCE IN THIS COUNTRY. THE MEDXA HAS A MAJOR
RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS REGARD-INDEED I SHALL BE
CONSIDERING CLOSELY THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF REVIEW OF
THE SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE WITH THIS POINT IN MINDMY
GOVERNMENT BRINGS AN UNSWERVING AND FUNDAMENTAL
COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE POLICIES AND TO TAKE INITIATIVES WHICH
DEVELOP AUSTRALIA AS A FAIR, HARMONIOUS AND PROGRESSIVE
MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY-WE WANT A SOCIETY IN WHICH ALL
GROUPS HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND
OPPORTUNITIES# THE FEDERATION OF ETHNIC COMMUNITIES COUNCILS-AND YOUR
MEMBER ORGANISATIONS IN THE STATES AND TERRITORIES HAVE AN
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN HELPING PROMOTE THIS-I HOPE YOU
WILL NEVER LET UP IN YOUR EFFORTS-* em