Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Policya full range of settlement services to ensure that all...

Liberal/National Party Coalition, MulticulturalAffairs and Settlement, Melbourne, Liberal andNational Party Coalition, 1996.

Liberal/National PartyCoalition Policy for 1996Election-

A Coalition Commitment

Contents:

• Executive Summary• Introduction, Priority Issues• Multicultural Australia• Consultation• Settlement• Employment• English Language & Literacy Services• Education• Aged Care• Women's Health• Refugees• Racial Vilification• Small Business• Multicultural Broadcasting• Citizenship• Conclusion

Executive Summary

Commitment

The Coalition is committed to maintaining andfurther enhancing Australia's unique andenriching cultural diversity within theframework of national unity.

The Coalition is committed to ensuring that allAustralians are able to participate fully in ourcommunity, to realise their aspirations, and toachieve their full potential.

All Australians should be free to preserve,celebrate and share their cultural traditionswithin the framework of a socially cohesive,tolerant and harmonious nation united bycommon goals, values and an overridingcommitment to Australia.

Consultation

The Coalition will strengthen the consultativearrangements necessary to achieve increased andmeaningful community input into policydevelopment and decision making.

Major decisions on multicultural and settlementpolicies and programs will only be taken afterwidespread community input.

Settlement Services

The Coalition is committed to the provision ofa full range of settlement services to ensure thatall newly arrived migrants are able to participatefully in an inclusive Australian society.

Settlement programs will have an emphasis oncurrently disadvantaged new arrivals,particularly those from non-English speakingbackgrounds (NESB).

1Making Multicultural Australia Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Policy

Multicultural Affairsand Settlement Policy

We will address the special needs of refugees andhumanitarian entrants, with particular attentionto torture and trauma counselling.

Community organisations will be encouraged toplay a larger role in the provision of settlementservices. We will provide an additional $20million over the next four years to enable thembetter to assist their clients.

The Coalition will continue its support forMigrant Resource Centres - an initiative of thelast Coalition Government - and the importantservices they render.

Access and Equity

Despite the rhetoric, access and equity hasdeteriorated since Labor came to power.

The Coalition's access and equity strategies, tobe implemented in cooperation with the States,Territories, and Local Government, will ensurethat all Australians have access to all publiclyprovided services, without exception.

Australians from NESB who have disabilitieswill gain greater access to services through theprovision of information, support andencouragement.

The strategies will also ensure an equitableallocation of resources to needy groups andcommunities.

Employment

Unemployment in Australia remainsunacceptably high. It is even worse (half asmuch again) for jobseekers from non-Englishspeaking backgrounds (NESB), and especiallyyoung people from NESB.

The Coalition will direct resources in ways toensure closer targeting of programs intended toassist unemployed people from NESB to gainemployment.

English Language and Literacy Services

A common language is the glue of a cohesivenation. It is important that all Australians,wherever possible, can speak English adequately.

The Coalition will give greater emphasis toEnglish language and literacy services. We willincrease the flexibility of the Adult MigrantEnglish Program (AMEP) to improve itseffectiveness.

Funding of English language training andeducation will be increased by $17 million overthe next four years.

The Commonwealth Translator and InterpreterServices (TIS) will continue to operate to ensureaccess to all arms of Government.

Other Languages

The Coalition supports the encouragement andfurther development of Australia's productivediversity capacity, and in particular the richresource of bi and multi lingualism.

We will encourage second and third languagetraining, including through the operation of athriving Languages Other Than English(LOTE) program, run in cooperation with theStates and Territories.

Education

The Coalition believes in the fundamental rightof parents to choose the best school for theirchildren.

We will maintain our longstanding commitmentto Federal assistance for non-government(including ethnic and religious) schools.

The Coalition's funding policies for non-government schools will expand the rights ofparents to establish schools which reflect theircultural and/or religious values and beliefs.


Aged Care

Older Australians of overseas origins,particularly those from non-English speakingbackgrounds (NESB) can have special needs andencounter special problems.

The Coalition will give increased priority to theprovision of aged care accommodation optionsfor elderly people from NESB. This will includeboth residential and at home accommodation,and dementia specific services.

The Coalition will ensure that elderly peoplefrom NESB have fair and equitable access tocommunity support services, and that theseservices are delivered in a culturally sensitivemanner. We will seek to ensure that direct carestaff are matched with individual consumers asclosely as possible.

Women's Health

The Coalition will develop a range of measuresto address specific problems in the area of healthcare of women from non-English speakingbackgrounds (NESB).

In cooperation with ethnic communities we willencourage increased awareness of culturalsensitivities in the delivery of health services,including the detection of breast and cervicalcancer, pregnancy, child birth, and psychologicalservices.

Refugees

Refugee and humanitarian migrants have specialneeds which require particular recognition andattention by government.

The Coalition will ensure that priority is givento meeting these needs, particularly in suchareas as torture and trauma counselling, healthcare, and language and skilled training. We willalso ensure that specific cultural sensitivities aretaken into account wherever possible.

The Coalition will establish a RefugeeResettlement Advisory Council to advise on the

appropriateness and adequacy ofCommonwealth refugee services.

Racial Vilification

All Australians have a responsibility to stampout racism wherever it occurs.

Australians recognise overwhelmingly thateducation is the only viable long term effectiveapproach to the eradication of racism.

The Coalition will commit $10 million to a twoyear extensive multi-pronged educationcampaign directed towards schools and othereducational institutions, and the widercommunity.

Small Business

Australia's small (and medium) businesses arethe backbone of our economy and the mainsource of jobs. People from non-Englishspeaking backgrounds (NESB) are a veryimportant part of the small business sector.

Small business has suffered badly under theLabor Government.

The Coalition will simplify fringe benefits tax,provide capital gains tax roll-over relief for smallbusiness, replace Labor's unfair dismissal laws,reduce the costs of doing business, and restoreincentive.

Multicultural Broadcasting

The Coalition remains strongly committed tomulticultural broadcasting, which provides fordiversity in language, tradition and culture.

The Coalition is strongly committed toretaining the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)as a separate entity, and to maintaining existinglevels of Commonwealth funding. We willcontinue to support triennial funding.

In addition, the Coalition will provide an extra$10.5 million over three years to facilitate fasttracking of the extension of SBS Television's


coverage to 100 per cent of the population (now75%) as soon as possible.

The Coalition also strongly supports themulticultural community broadcasting sector.The sector plays a vital role in the life of manyethnic communities.

The Coalition will provide an additional $3million over three years to support the furtherexpansion of multicultural communitybroadcasting.

We will also consider the establishment of ajoint SBS/Multicultural CommunityBroadcasting Committee to consider ways inwhich multicultural audiences can be bestserved through a more coordinated approach.

Citizenship

The Coalition will encourage all permanentresidents to become Australian citizens.

We will expand and develop citizenship classesto provide potential citizens with informationand knowledge of Australia, its history, heritage,symbols, institutions and laws.

The Coalition will overhaul citizenshipceremonies to make them more meaningful andmemorable.

The Coalition will establish an AustralianCouncil on Citizenship (ACC), comprisingprominent Australians drawn from a broadcross-section of the community, to undertake acomprehensive and independent review of allaspects of Australian citizenship.

Introduction

The Coalition is committed to ensuring that allAustralians, whatever their background, are ableto participate fully in our community, to realisetheir aspirations, and to achieve their fullpotential.

Much has already been achieved in this regard.More needs to be done. Widespreadconsultation by the Coalition has identifiedseveral areas to which greater priority needs tobe given by government. These will beaddressed by a Coalition Government.

Australia is one nation built by people frommany cultures. Within this framework, we arecommitted to giving all Australians the greatestfreedom of choice in how they live their livesand how they preserve and share their culturaltraditions.

Priority Issues

• genuine community consultation• enhanced and more flexible English language

programs• ethnic aged care• migrant women's health• disability in ethnic communities• high unemployment amongst particular

migrant groups• greater community involvement in services• choice in education• the special needs of refugees• equal opportunity and non-discrimination• encouraging citizenship and pride in Australia

Multicultural Australia

It is the basic right of all Australians, whatevertheir background, to participate fully in ourcommunity, to realise their aspirations, and toachieve their full potential. They should also befree, within the framework of an overriding andunifying commitment to Australia, to preserve,celebrate and share their cultural traditions.

Australia is a unique nation and a unique


society.

Australia derives great strength from its unity,yet is at the same time one of the mostculturally diverse nations in modern history.

We have a rich heritage as a multiculturalnation. Successive waves of migrants - and theirAustralian born successors - from some 200countries throughout the world have forged atolerant, harmonious, peaceful, freedom loving,just, stable and democratic society that is theAustralia of today.

The Coalition takes great pride in its role in thisachievement, with a proud history in the fieldsof immigration and ethnic affairs.

Coalition Governments presided over the arrivalin Australia of millions of migrants in the1950s, 1960s, late 1970s, and early 1980's.These periods spanned the greatest diversity everexperienced in our official immigration intake.

Coalition Governments opened up large scaleimmigration from continental Europe, theMediterranean, Eastern Europe, the MiddleEast, and more recently Asia and the Pacific. Wehave played an important humanitarian role inthe international community in resettlingmillions of people from war ravaged regionsaround the world.

Coalition Governments led the way in theabandonment of the White Australia Policy.

It was these actions by successive Coalitiongovernments which have given Australia one ofthe most diverse populations in the world.

The Coalition welcomes and supports culturaldiversity in Australia within the framework of asocially cohesive, tolerant and harmoniousnation united by common values, goals andaspirations.

The 1989 National Agenda for a MulticulturalAustralia enshrined a number of basicprinciples:

• cultural identity: the right of all Australians toexpress and share their individual culturalheritage, including their language andreligion;

• social justice: the right of all Australians toequality of treatment and opportunity, andthe removal of barriers of race, ethnicity,culture, religion, language, gender or place ofbirth; and

• economic efficiency: the need to maintain,develop and utilise effectively the skills andtalents of all Australians regardless ofbackground.

The premises on which these principles werebased are:

• that all Australians should have an overridingand unifying commitment to Australia, to itsinterest and future first and foremost;

• that all Australians accept the basic structuresand principles of Australian society - theConstitution and the rule of law, toleranceand equality, parliamentary democracy,freedom of speech and religion, English as thenational language and equality of the sexes;and

• that multicultural policies impose obligationsas well as conferring rights: the right toexpress one's own culture and beliefs involvesa reciprocal responsibility to accept the rightof others to express their views and values,and to act in a peaceful, law abiding andtolerant manner.

The Coalition fully endorses these principlesand premises, which were also endorsed by theNational Multicultural Advisory Council in its1995 report, Multicultural Australia - The NextSteps .

The next Coalition Government will ensure thatall Australians, whatever their background,receive equal opportunity and equal treatment,free of discrimination or intimidation, withinthe framework of these principles and premises.


Consultation

All Australians have a right to express their viewson these important areas of public policy.

A Coalition Government will administer itsmulticultural affairs and settlement policy in theopen and publicly accountable manner thatbefits such an important area of public policy.

We will also strengthen the consultativearrangements necessary to achieve increased andmeaningful community input into governmentpolicy development and decision making.

We will maintain regular consultation, andcollaboration, on appropriate policy matterswith the Federation of Ethnic Communities’Councils of Australia, the various EthnicCommunities’ Councils, communityrepresentative bodies, services deliverers, majoragencies, centres and academics with interests inthis area, and the wider community.

Major decisions on settlement and multiculturalpolicies, responses to significant reports, such asthose by the Joint Standing Committee onMigration, the Office of Multicultural Affairs,National Multicultural Advisory Council, CivicsExpert Group, and our proposed AustralianCouncil on Citizenship, will only be taken by aCoalition government after widespreadcommunity input.

Settlement

The settlement process must ensure that all newlyarrived migrants are able to participate fully, andwithout prejudice, in an inclusive Australiansociety.

The Coalition maintains an underlying andabiding belief in the continued process of nationbuilding. A non-discriminatory immigrationprogram, supported by the necessary level ofsettlement services, will be an integral part ofAustralia's future development and evolution.

The Coalition has a long history of warm, co-

operative and constructive relations withimmigrants to Australia. We established the firstsettlement services for migrants. Many of theseremain today as the basis for Australia'smulticultural policies. It was the Coalition thatset up the first English language classes formigrants, grant-in-aid worker programs, theSpecial Broadcasting Service (SBS) for non-English speaking background Australians,Migrant Resource Centres, and the firstgovernment agency to represent multiculturalinterests - the Institute of Multicultural Affairs.

Efficient and effective delivery of settlementservices, in close co-operation with the Statesand Territories, will be an ongoing prioritycommitment of the Coalition.

We will further develop and adapt ourmulticultural programs in light of changingneeds, to ensure improved access to them, andequity in their implementation. In particular wewill give higher priority to the health needs ofmigrant women, and the needs of agingmembers of our migrant communities in bothdomiciliary and hostel/nursing home situations.

Services Provision

We remain committed to the provision of a fullrange of settlement services.

Under a Coalition Government the aim of thesettlement process will be to ensure that allnewly arrived migrants are able to participatefully, and without prejudice, in an inclusiveAustralian society.

The emphasis of our settlement program will beon currently disadvantaged groups, especiallythose from non-English speaking backgrounds.

We recognise, and will address, the special needsof refugees and humanitarian entrants, withparticular attention to adequate torture andtrauma counselling.

With continuing unacceptably high levels ofunemployment in many ethnic communities,the Coalition recognises the special and differing


needs of new settlers. We are committed toensuring that they have the necessary skills tofacilitate entry into the work force. In concertwith our employment policies we will ensurethat labour market and training initiatives aresuitably flexible and tailored effectively toaddress the particular circumstances facingunemployed migrants. (See also section onEmployment)

People from different cultural and religiousbackgrounds have differing settlement needs.We remain committed to facilitating bothculturally and religiously sensitive settlementservices.

We envisage a larger role for communityorganisations in the provision of settlementservices. Where barriers in the community existagainst ethno-specific groups, we will help toovercome them. Services such as arrivalaccommodation for refugees, and care for agedmigrants may be more efficiently run byculturally sensitive, ethno-specific groups.

A Coalition Government will provide non-government agencies with greater opportunityfor involvement in service delivery whereverpossible.

To this end we will provide community agencieswith an additional $20 million over the nextfour years to enable them better to assist theirmembers.

The Coalition reiterates its support for theongoing role of Migrant Resource Centres - aninitiative of the last Coalition Government - toprovide important services to a broad range ofethnic communities.

We will allow more flexibility in the provision ofsuch services, and will use a common sense,results focused approach. Wherever possible andappropriate we will favour community servicesprovision over bureaucratic alternatives.

The Coalition favours the maximum degree ofdecentralisation of service delivery, so that theservices can be more closely tailored to the

needs of individual clients.

Access and Equity

The basic right of all Australians to participatefully in an inclusive society, to realise theiraspirations, and to achieve their full potential asindividuals and as citizens of this nation canonly be achieved when all Australians, whatevertheir backgrounds, receive equal opportunityand equal treatment, free from discrimination orintimidation.

The settlement and post-settlement process formigrants must ensure this. Meaningful accessand equity, and social justice, must be afundamental component of these processes.

The Keating Government has failed to match itsrhetoric on access and equity with performance.Access and Equity has deteriorated since Laborcame to power. The Government's own 1994Access and Equity Annual Report containedstrong criticism of government departments andagencies by many community organisationsabout lack of liaison and outreach, lack ofcultural awareness and culturally appropriateservice delivery practices, inadequateinterpreting services, and lack of effectivedissemination of information.

The Government's 1995 Access and EquityAnnual Report reveals that there is a long wayto go before these serious deficiencies arecorrected.

The appalling level of unemployment amongstAustralians from non-English speakingbackground (NESB) is another indictment ofthe Keating Labor Government's failure todeliver access and equity, and social justice.There is no greater denial of social justice thanthe denial of the opportunity to have a job. (Seealso section on Employment)

The Coalition's approach to Access and Equityis based on our fundamental support forfreedom of choice and equality of opportunity.These beliefs underpin our commitment tomeeting the diverse needs and choices of all


Australians. This approach empowers people tolive their lives with dignity, self respect andgreater self reliance and independence.

The Coalition will implement a Federal Accessand Equity strategy on the delivery of services toall Australians, of whatever background. We willdo this in close co-operation with the States,Territories and local government.

This strategy will ensure that all cultural groupshave access to all publicly provided services -without discrimination. It will also establish anequitable allocation of resources to needy groupsand communities.

The Coalition will enable Australians fromNESB who have disabilities to gain greateraccess to services through the provision ofinformation, support and encouragement.

Employment

Unemployment in Australia remainsunacceptably high as a result of the failedpolicies of the Keating Government.

For jobseekers from non-English speakingbackgrounds (NESB) the situation is even moreappalling. For Australians from NESB theunemployment rate is 50% higher than forother Australians. For younger members of theNESB community the figures are even worse.

The government has contributed directly to theproblems faced by NESB jobseekers. A recentACTU study found that there had been anactual fall in the number of NESB personnel inno less than 28 Government departments andagencies. Worse, the study also found that only9% of new appointments to the AustralianPublic Service were from a NESB, and thatpeople from NESB were more likely to be maderedundant in the restructuring of Federaldepartments.

Migrants from NESB suffer specificdisadvantages when seeking employment. Theyinclude:

• lack of adequate and accessible informationabout the job market;

• lack of recognition of pre-existing skillsbrought by migrants with them to Australia;

• lack of language skills;• lack of bilingual job-preparation and training

courses;• in some cases discrimination and negative

stereotyping.

Jobseekers of NESB will benefit particularlyfrom the regional and community employmentfocus and the greater importance given toemployment outcomes under the Coalition'semployment programs.

In addition a Coalition government will:

• ensure more effective use of funding underthe Adult Migrant English Program for earlytraining in English as a Second Language formigrants from NESB;

• provide funding for employment assistance tocase managers and community organisationsunder more flexible and generic guidelines sothat the real employment needs of migrantsfrom NESB can be more effectively met;

• continue support for programs to raise thelevel of awareness in migrant communities ofthe availability of employment assistance;

• maintain support for effectively targetedprograms such as NESB job clubs, NewEnterprise Initiative Scheme (NEIS) andother employment assistance programs;

• maintain support for ethnic employmentliaison officers placed with community groupsto ensure that ethnic employers are aware ofCommonwealth supported apprenticeship,training and subsidised employmentprograms.

(Further employment initiatives are containedin our Employment & Training Policy)


English Language & LiteracyServices

A common language is the glue of a cohesivenation. People who cannot speak the commonlanguage cannot participate in the life of thenation as fully as they would wish.

It is very important that all Australians,wherever possible, from whatever background,can speak English adequately. Failure to speakand understand English can lead todisadvantage in employment opportunities,workplace safety, productivity and wages, andaccess to services. It also increases the isolationand dependence of ethnic women and theethnic aged.

The Coalition fully supports the NationalMulticultural Advisory Council's stance on theprimacy of English language training. TheCouncil's Multicultural Australia - The NextSteps report stated:

Australian English is our national language, andat least some level of proficiency in this language isnecessary for Australians of other languagebackgrounds to participate fully in the society,enhance their sense of belonging, and enjoy equitywith Australians born of English-speaking parents.English language competency is widely recognisedas the key to economic and social well-being.

The Coalition is committed to ensuring allmigrants have the opportunity to gain thisessential means of communication. We will givegreater emphasis to English language andliteracy services. We will ensure that theoperations and eligibility criteria of the AdultMigrant English Program (AMEP) aresufficiently liberal and flexible as to better utiliseresources to achieve more effective and longlasting benefits for non-English speakingmigrants.

We will allocate an additional $17 million over4 years to English language training andeducation.

The Coalition recognises that learning Englishfor some (particularly older) migrants isextremely difficult. Our commitment toimproved Access and Equity requiresgovernment service providers to offer reliable,efficient and reputable translation and/orinterpretation services.

We will guarantee continued operation of theCommonwealth Translator and InterpreterServices (TIS) on a commercial basis. This willensure access to all arms of government.

We will also ensure that the States are enabledto play their appropriate roles in the operationsof the National Accreditation Authority forTranslators and Interpreters.

Translation and interpretation services will berequired to take full account of the culturalsensibilities of their clients.

Other Languages

The language of a person's country of origin isan integral part of their cultural heritage. TheCoalition will encourage both children andadults in the maintenance of their originallanguage.

We also recognise the value of having as manyAustralians as possible speak languages inaddition to English. Multilingualism is one ofour richest resources. It gives Australians thefacility to participate more fully in theinternational environment. Australia's business,trade, foreign relations and tourismopportunities and successes can be advancedwith such linguistic expertise.

The Coalition supports the encouragement andfurther development of Australia's productivediversity capacity.

We will encourage such second and thirdlanguage training. We have a strongcommitment to the maintenance of a thrivingLanguages Other Than English (LOTE)program, run in co-operation with the Statesand Territories.


Education

Education makes a fundamental contribution tothe shaping of young Australians. It is througheducation that young people formulate ideas,gain knowledge, create understanding andobtain learning. It is therefore an important partof a young person's cultural development.

The Coalition believes in the fundamental rightof parents to choose the best school for theirchildren.

Choice in education will be a key Coalitiongoal.

The Coalition's funding policies for non-government schools will expand the right ofparents to establish schools which reflect theircultural and/or religious values and beliefs.

We are committed to continued support forFederal assistance for non-government(including ethnic and religious) schools.

We have consistently supported ethnic schoolsand language programs which provideopportunity and encouragement to youngAustralians of all backgrounds to learncommunity languages and to gain enhancedunderstanding of cultural heritage.

We will also encourage State and Territorygovernments to have both primary andsecondary schools provide second and thirdlanguage courses as an integral part of youngpeople's broad based education.

The Coalition is committed to the LanguagesOther Than English (LOTE) program as animportant element of our education andlanguages policies.

In government the Coalition, in consultationwith the States and Territories, will review theexisting approach towards language maintenancefor immigrant children, second and thirdlanguage programs, and other areas of languageeducation. There is a need for balance between

different components in this complex area.

(Further education initiatives are contained inour Education Policy)

Aged Care

Aged persons have a special place in our nation.They are a wonderful asset in terms of thewisdom, accumulated experience, andcontribution to family unity and strength, thatthey bring.

At the same time, for many older Australians,age brings with it certain problems that as asociety we must address fully.

The Coalition recognises that older Australiansof overseas origins, particularly those from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), canhave special needs and encounter specialproblems.

Elderly people from NESB, for instance, oftenlose their English language ability. This isparticularly the case if age is accompanied bydementia.

A major priority for ethnic communities andaged migrants is the provision of aged careaccommodation options - including bothresidential and at home accommodation, anddementia specific facilities - that best meet theirneeds. Community based accommodation anddomiciliary services provision should bedesigned to provide for culturally diverserequirements, wherever possible, and where thecommunity desires it.

A Coalition Government will ensure that ethniccommunities, including people who prefer toremain in their own homes, have fair andequitable access to community support services.

It is desirable for older Australians to maintaintheir independence and remain at home as longas possible. Commonwealth/State programssuch as the Home and Community Care(HACC) program, and Community Aged CarePackages (CACP) delivering services in the

1 0Making Multicultural Australia Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Policy

home, are invaluable.

Community services of this nature must bedelivered in a culturally sensitive manner, withdirect care staff matched with individualconsumers as closely as possible.

We are especially concerned to ensure that agedpeople from NESB have adequate access totranslating and interpreting services, so thatsociety does not allow them, and their needsand problems, to be ignored.

In co-operation with the States and Territories,we will guarantee that all older Australians willbe able to maintain their personal security,dignity and respect. We will encourage them tocontinue to make a significant contribution totheir interests and communities.

Women's Health

All Australian women are entitled to access toquality health care.

A Coalition Government will develop a range ofmeasures to address the specific problems in thearea of health care of women from non-Englishspeaking backgrounds (NESB).

We recognise the cultural sensitivity that isrequired in the delivery of health services tomigrant women. For some migrant women thisis especially the case in the area of servicesrelated to the detection of breast and cervicalcancer. Many women from NESB requireincreased knowledge and understanding of theimportance of screening programs - where earlydetection is possible and can prevent high riskdiseases, like breast and cervical cancer, from lifethreatening development.

Medical practitioners will be encouraged toincrease their awareness of particular culturalsensitivities in the delivery of health services,including pregnancy, child birth andpsychological services.

We are especially concerned to ensure thatwomen from NESB have adequate access to

translating and interpreting services.

The Coalition will give priority to ensuring thathealth promotion is sensitively and sensiblytargeted. We will work closely with ethniccommunities to achieve this objective.

Preventative Strategies and Health Promotion

It is essential that messages about preventativehealth care and health promotion programs aretargeted to all Australians. We will ensure thatthese messages are culturally sensitive andavailable in appropriate community languages inorder to maximise their distribution andeffectiveness.

(Further health initiatives are contained in ourHealth Policy)

Refugees

Refugee and humanitarian migrants have specialneeds which require particular recognition andattention by government.

Australians can take great pride in their role inresettling millions of refugee and humanitarianmigrants from all corners of the globe.

Coalition Governments - sometimes in the faceof staunch opposition from our politicalopponents - have facilitated the arrival andresettlement of refugees from war-torn Europe,the Middle East, Asia, Africa and SouthAmerica.

The Coalition is committed to a separatemigration program for refugee andhumanitarian arrivals. We recognise that thesepeople have special needs in the settlementprocess.

Refugees frequently require additionalsettlement services to those available to othermigrants. Many come from horrific personaland/or regional tragedies. Most are from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB).Without exception they are frightened. Almostall arrive in Australia in a state of poverty.

1 1Making Mult icultural Australia Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Policy

Australia as their new home provides them withthe opportunity to rebuild their shattered livesand reunite their separated families.

The Coalition in government will establish aRefugee Resettlement Advisory Council - drawnfrom community representatives - which will becharged with advising on the appropriatenessand adequacy of Commonwealth refugeeservices. The States and Territories will also beinvited to participate in this coordinated Federalapproach to refugee resettlement.

A Coalition Government will ensure thatrefugee and humanitarian migrants are notignored or forgotten by government policies andprograms. We recognise their special needs. Wewill direct resources to overcome their pressingdisadvantages and hardship, so they too canfully participate in our society as equals. We willensure the delivery of a full range of settlementservices to refugees and humanitarian migrants,including torture and trauma counselling,health care, language and skill training andculturally specific services provision.

Racial Vilification

The Coalition yields to no one in the intensityof its abhorrence, and unequivocal rejection of,all forms of racism. The Coalition's record onthis issue is exceeded by no other political party.In particular, it was a Coalition Governmentthat led the way in the abandonment of theobnoxious and racist White Australia policy.

All Australians have a fundamentalresponsibility to stamp out racism wherever itmay appear, in ways consistent with themaintenance, preservation, and strengthening ofthe basic values and institutions that are thecornerstones of our multicultural society, andour way of life.

The basic cause of racism is ignorance.Australians recognise overwhelmingly thateducation is the only viable long-term effectiveapproach to the eradication of racism.Education attacks the causes of racism ratherthan the symptoms.

The Coalition will commit $10 million to a twoyear extensive multipronged educationcampaign. The full details and content will befinalised after extensive consultations withethnic communities, educators and otherappropriate persons.

The campaign will be directed towards schoolsand other educational institutions, and thewider community.

Amongst other things, the campaign will enablecommunity workers and community leaders tobetter assist their members resolve racialincidents, and understand their rights,particularly for recently arrived and oldermigrants of non-English speaking background(NESB).

The campaign will also address the extensiveignorance and lack of understanding of ethniccommunities in Australia that exists in variousquarters, including the media.

Small Business

The Coalition recognises and values the effortsof the millions of Australian men and women,many from non-English speaking backgrounds(NESB), who make up the small and mediumbusiness sector.

Australia's 860,000 small and mediumbusinesses are the backbone of the economy,and one of the main sources of economicprosperity.

Their foresight, imagination and willingness toback their own judgement contributes 30 percent of Australia's gross domestic product andgenerates employment for approximately 3.5million people, or 45 per cent of the total workforce. These are people with a strong work ethicand a commitment to succeed in a competitiveenvironment. They reflect the independenceand aspirations of many Australians.

Australia's rich and culturally diverse society isalso strongly reflected in the make up of oursmall businesses. People from NESB comprise


some of Australia's most successful smallbusiness people.

The Coalition acknowledges the vital role thesesmall businesses play in our local communitiesand national economy. Overseas businessnetworks that are largely centred on small familybusinesses provide an important means bywhich immigrants can assist Australia topromote regional trade. Small business alsoprovides many immigrants with the opportunityto use their entrepreneurial spirit.

Small business has suffered harshly under theLabor government. Businesses have beenunfairly penalised, and business costs andregulations risen massively.

These difficulties imposed by the LaborGovernment have restricted small businessinvestment, profits and jobs. The result is thatbankruptcies are running at close to the levelsrecorded during the last recession and are nearlytwo and a half times the average level ofbankruptcies in the 1980s.

The Coalition will relieve the burden on smallbusiness - the key to economic and employmentgrowth.

We have already announced that we will reducethe provisional tax uplift factor from 8% to 6%at a cost of $180 million. This will relieve thecash flow position of small business.

The Coalition will also reduce the complexity ofthe fringe benefits tax, provide capital gains taxroll-over relief for small businesses reinvestingthe proceeds from the sale of one business intoanother business investment or an approvedretirement deposit fund, replace Labor's unfairdismissal laws with provisions that are fair andequitable to both employees and employers, andotherwise reduce the costs of doing business inAustralia and restore incentive.

(Further small business initiatives are includedin our Small Business Policy)

Multicultural Broadcasting

Culturally rich and diverse broadcasting is thekey to successful multicultural communications.The Coalition remains strongly committed tomulticultural broadcasting, which provides for adiversity in language, tradition and culture.

The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)

The Coalition is strongly committed toretaining the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)as a separate entity.

The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) providesmultilingual and multicultural radio andtelevision services that inform, educate andentertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflectAustralia's multicultural society.

The Coalition will recognise and continue tosupport SBS as an independent, national,multicultural and multilingual broadcasterdevoted to excellence and offering a clearalternative to the commercial and communitybroadcasting sectors.

The Coalition is committed to maintainingexisting levels of Commonwealth funding toSBS. We will continue to support triennialfunding, which has allowed SBS to plan for thefuture with a greater degree of financialcertainty.

The Coalition believes that SBS is in the bestposition to decide the most appropriatelanguage mix for its television and radionetworks, bearing in mind its responsibilities asAustralia's only national multilingualbroadcaster.

The Coalition will actively encourage SBS tobroadcast programs across the broad spectrumof human interests including news, currentaffairs, drama, sport and the arts.

The Coalition will also actively encourage SBSto produce, co-produce and broadcast localprograms which use Australian talent and


provide an Australian perspective onmulticultural issues and events. We willmaintain the existing level of budget funding forSBS's Independent Production Fund.

The Coalition warmly welcomes the expansionof SBS Radio to all capital cities and stronglysupports its ongoing roll-out into regional areas.

The Coalition will fund the SBS directly for itstransmission costs on the strict condition thatnational coverage and existing servicecommitments to rural and remote areas arecontinued.

Captioning for the ABC and SBS

The Coalition has long supported thecaptioning of news and current affairs for thenearly one million deaf and hearing impairedpeople throughout Australia. The Coalition willmatch the Government's belated commitmentto provide $6 million over three years to fundclosed captioning of early evening newsbroadcasts on the ABC and SBS. The Coalitionwill strive to further extend captioning serviceson the ABC and SBS in consultation with thedeaf and hearing impaired community.

Expanding SBS Television

The Coalition will provide an additional $10.5million over three years to facilitate the fasttracking of the extension of SBS Television to allAustralians.

The Coalition believes that, as a nationalbroadcaster, SBS should be available to viewersacross the country. We are therefore committedto extending SBS Television coverage from thecurrent 75 per cent of the population to 100 percent as soon as possible. As part of our strategyto expedite the roll-out of the SBS Televisionnetwork, we will have particular regard to thedemand demographics of the various unservedregions.

Multicultural Community Broadcasting

The Coalition recognises the vital role that the

multicultural community broadcasting sectorhas played in many ethnic communitiesthroughout Australia. The valuable information,entertainment and cultural services obtainedthrough multicultural community broadcastingallow ethnic communities to participate morefully in the Australian way of life and activelycontribute to Australia and its culture.

In the last ten years, public funding formulticultural broadcasting has fallen from $50an hour to $28 an hour. The CommunityBroadcasting Fund can now only providesupport to 700 of the 1,000 hours beingbroadcast.

The Coalition will provide an additional $3million over three years to support the furtherexpansion of multicultural communitybroadcasting.

The additional funding will assist in the costs ofproducing and distributing multiculturalcontent and will provide the multiculturalbroadcasting sector with further trainingopportunities as well as assistance withoperational expenses such as administration andstaffing.

In order to promote greater cooperationbetween the national and community basedmulticultural broadcasting sectors, the Coalitionwill explore the establishment of a JointSBS/Multicultural Community BroadcastingCommittee to consider ways in whichmulticultural audiences may be best servedthrough a more coordinated approach.

(Further initiatives are contained in ourCommunications Policy)

Citizenship

Pride in one's country and a true sense ofnationhood can be enhanced by a betterunderstanding of citizenship.

Citizenship is the ultimate expression of aperson's commitment to a nation. It involves atwo-way, reciprocal, commitment between the


citizen and the nation. It is a unifying symbol,especially in a multicultural nation likeAustralia. It is a genuine bond to a way of life.

All permanent residents in Australia will beencouraged to take out Australian citizenship.

In 1994 the Coalition proposed theintroduction of citizenship classes to providepotential citizens with information andknowledge of Australia, its history, heritage,symbols, institutions and laws. This proposalwas supported by the Joint Standing Committeeon Migration's September 1994 report entitledAustralians All: Enhancing Australian Citizenshipand by the Civics Experts Group's Civics andCitizenship Education report in December 1994.The Government has recently followed suittentatively by commencing implementation of aprogram for citizenship classes.

The Coalition will expand and develop thisprogram in line with our initialpronouncements. We will also look - inconjunction with the States and Territories - atdisseminating similar curriculum material intoschools to raise students' awareness of themeaning and value of being an Australiancitizen.

Although the Coalition supports the principleof encouraging citizenship through nationalcampaigns, the promotion campaign announcedin the Government's 1995 Budget is excessive,wasteful and poorly targeted. We will maintainthe citizenship enhancement campaign launchedin November 1994, but we will redirect asubstantial element of the 1995 Budgetresources to more important settlement areas.

Citizenship is a privilege. It is not a decision tobe taken lightly. There should be a clearcommitment to a country before citizenship isgranted. The nature of citizenship is very muchone of rights and corresponding responsibilities.These responsibilities must be fully understoodbefore the citizenship decision is made.

The Coalition will retain the existingrequirement that a facility in the English

language be a prerequisite for all prospectivecitizens other than persons more than 50 yearsof age. One of the benefits of, and indeedcriteria for, citizenship is that a person canparticipate fully in Australian society. A key tothis is the ability to communicate in functionalEnglish. A common language is the glue of acohesive and inclusive society. Without thisdegree of English language proficiency andorientation, people cannot access their rights, orfulfil their responsibilities, in the broadercommunity.

As the taking up of citizenship is, and shouldbe, an important event in a new settler's life, soshould the ceremony be a memorable one. Wewill also overhaul the citizenship ceremonies, tomake them more meaningful, dignified andmemorable.

Given the national significance of citizenship,and in light of the Government's failure to fullyrespond to the Parliament's Joint StandingCommittee on Migration's (JSCM) reportAustralians All: Enhancing Australian Citizenship,the inquiry into which had very restrictive termsof reference, a Coalition Government willestablish an Australian Council on Citizenship(ACC) to undertake a comprehensiveindependent review of citizenship. The ACC'smembers will be prominent Australians drawnfrom a broad cross-section of the community,who are proud to serve in an honorary capacity.

The ACC will use the JSCM & Civics ExpertsGroup reports as a starting point, to performthe first extensive national independent reviewof our citizenship regime. The ACC willthoroughly investigate the meaning and value ofcitizenship; examine the residency, language,cultural, age, and other legal and communityrequirements for citizenship; write a new Oathand Citizenship Act; address dual or multicitizenship proposals; the relationship ofcitizenship to immigration and settlementpolicies; and recommend to government howbest to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 1999 ofthe introduction of Australian Citizenship. TheACC's review will incorporate a broadcommunity consultation and awareness


campaign.

Conclusion

The Coalition is committed to maintaining andfurther enhancing Australia's unique andsuccessful cultural diversity within theframework of national unity.

We stand proud of our record and history ofachievement in the areas of immigration andethnic affairs. We have presided over historicground breaking advancements in governmentpolicy in these areas - from mass immigrationfrom all parts of the globe to the pioneeringsettlement services.

We have a long standing continuing andenduring commitment to a diverse liberaldemocratic society based on freedom, equalityof opportunity, tolerance, cohesion and peace.

We remain convinced that this vision forAustralia is shared by all Australians, of allbackgrounds.


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