3 December 2020
Joint Statement with Andrew Giles MP, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Dr Anne Aly MP, Member for Cowan.
Labor’s inaugural Multicultural Statement, launched today highlights the missed opportunities that are holding back multicultural communities in Australia.
Multicultural communities are being left behind by a failure to address significant job and income losses affecting culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
The Morrison Government is leaving multicultural communities behind by failing to take action that would help communities get ahead in the recovery.
- Nothing on settlement services.
- Nothing on social housing.
- Nothing on culturally appropriate aged care.
- Nothing for temporary visa holders.
- Nothing for a national anti-racism strategy.
- Nothing to clear the citizenship backlog.
At the same time, proposes a new cruel English language test for partner visas.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed gaps in our policy framework – gaps that require a better response from the Commonwealth. For example, the Federal Government has made repeated errors in the translation of important public health information.
Overcoming barriers to participation and discrimination in Australian society won’t happen by accident – we need real plans for genuine action.
Labor believes that the ability to participate fully in the economic, social and political life of Australia is something that we must extend to all Australians regardless of where they or their parents came from.
Above all, Labor believes that multiculturalism is one of Australia’s greatest achievements.
Labor celebrates and embraces our multiculturalism. We are committed to realising the benefits of diversity for our nation and all Australians.
The 2020 Multicultural Statement is the first of what will be an annual report examining what national government is doing and could be doing for Australia’s multicultural communities.
Labor will deliver its 2021 Multicultural Statement in June next year.
Federal Labor is strongly committed to engaging with multicultural communities with the establishment of Labor’s Multicultural Policy Caucus Committee and Labor’s Multicultural Engagement Taskforce. To be a part of the conversation visit: alp.org.au/lmet/en
