TRANSCRIPT
At this Western Sydney classroom, students have gathered for an English class. They make up part of the more than 300 different ancestries of Australia's contemporary population.
"Hello, my name is Farida"
Australia is considered one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world, and small organisations like this one have played a major role in that success.
Amita Jhoti is an English language teacher at SydWest Multicultural Services.
"We basically focus on a one-to-one basis because each individual is different and each individual works at a different level, and each individual's English language is a different level as well. So we try and work with them through a persons centred approach."
Now, a major review of the state of multiculturalism is calling on all levels of government to update and improve what has been described as "fragmented" policy.
Dr Hass Dellal is Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation and Chair of the review panel.
"Australia stands at a unique crossroads where we have a great opportunity to craft an inclusive future where not only do we celebrate our differences, but also our shared values to help form our national identity."
A key recommendation is a review of the citizenship test procedures, including incorporating languages other than English.
Managing Director of Migration Affairs, Taraneh Arianfar says language requirements are an added burden on top of an already lengthy procedure.
"Apart from a very small category that are exempted from the exam, the test, the rest are required to do the test in English, which is very challenging for some groups, especially minority and refugees categories and some family visa-holders.”
The review panel travelled across Australia consulting more than 1400 individuals and 750 organisations. The recommendation to enhance citizenship processes is just one of 29.
Another is the establishment of a Multicultural Affairs Commission and Commissioner, as well as a standalone Department of Multicultural Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, with a dedicated minister.
In a statement, the Department of Home Affairs said the government "will draw from and embed the key features of the Review... across all Commonwealth agencies and activities, now and into the future."
The government has committed 100 million dollars to do that, but is yet to accept any specific recommendations, as Professor of Sociology at the University of Technology Sydney, Andrew Jakubowicz points out.
"A lot of the recommendations of the review relate to parts of government doing new things, and there's no framework until the multicultural commission is established, if it is established, of ensuring that those sorts of things happen."
A timely reminder that there's no room for complacency in a society made up of so many distinct cultures.
