Contexts in which the word multiculturalism was used in the House of Representatives during the 1970s

• For the information of honourable members I present a paper entitled ‘Multiculturalism and its Implications for Immigration Policy’ prepared jointly by the [More…]

• There are plenty of advocates to be heard in favour of the notion that the total community should be educated into acceptance of diversity and multiculturalism. [More…]

• It agrees there is a need to change the direction of its services to migrants and that further steps to encourage multiculturalism are needed. [More…]

• The proposals are in the fields of initial settlement; English language teaching; communication; information; voluntary, self-help and Good Neighbour Council services; special need and special groups; multiculturalism; ethnic media; and co-ordination and consultation. [More…]

• We will have another program which will focus on teaching of community languages funded out of the general recurrent grants and separate from English to get us all more acquainted with the new multiculturalism which we all have now begun to realise we have to understand, accept and do something about. [More…]

• Honourable members will recall that I tabled in the House on 7 June 1979 a paper entitled Multiculturalism and its Implications for Immigration Policy’. [More…]

• When tabling the paper I said that it illustrates the number of concepts of multiculturalism which presently exist and canvasses both the good and potentially undesirable effects of some forms of multiculturalism. [More…]

• The Galbally report recommended that the Commonwealth provide $1.8m over a three-year period to establish an institute of multicultural affairs to provide advice and information on multicultural development and multiculturalism in Australia, including aspects of migrant settlement, ethnicity and the maintenance of the cultural heritages of ethnic groups. [More…]

• One of the first tasks facing the Institute undoubtedly will be to clarify the meaning, limits and implications of ‘multiculturalism’, for it is essential that there be general community understanding of the concept and acceptance of its objectives and implications. [More…]

• These objectives, which embody the principal aims of the policy of multiculturalism, are set out in clause S of the Bill. [More…]

• The Government’s view is that the Institute should have a major role in providing advice on all aspects of multiculturalism. [More…]

• Nevertheless, the concept of multiculturalism does embrace all cultures in a nation and the Aboriginal people are an integral part of the Australian multicultural society. [More…]

• It is the worst possible way to approach multiculturalism and ethnic matters in the Australian community. [More…]

• Multiculturalism is a concept we and others in the world know too little about. [More…]

• In our view it shows a lack of confidence in multiculturalism. [More…]

• This may not be the time to dwell on this inherent contradication in the Government’s rhetoric about multiculturalism which is designed to appease and pacify immigrant minorities and its continued practice of favouring Anglo-Saxon oriented assimilation. [More…]

• Once again that is a contradiction of the Government’s espoused policy of multiculturalism and helping people to maintain their cultural heritage, their language and so on. [More…]

• We are being carried away by the proposition that we should encourage multiculturalism. [More…]

• That is a different proposition from arguing and trying to persuade people that multiculturalism per se is a good thing for them. [More…]

• provide the Institute with a more positive responsibility for the maintenance of cultural identities and traditions and encouragement of multiculturalism; [More…]

• Hence paragraph (b) of the Opposition’s amendment reads: provide the Institute with a more positive responsibility for the maintenance of cultural identities and traditions and encouragement of multiculturalism; [More…]

• There is no mention of aspects essential to any selfrespecting institute supposedly involved in multiculturalism such as we mention in paragraph (c) of our amendment which reads: [More…]

• The second part of the amendment suggests that the Institute should have a more positive responsibility for the maintenance of cultural identities and traditions and the encouragement of multiculturalism. [More…]

• I have discussed the issue of multiculturalism with people in my electorate and with various groups and, as I understand it, the one fear that does seem to be expressed by a number of people is that the concept of multiculturalism implies some sort of separate development of various groups, that we would have separate groups in our society each adhering to a different language and respecting different cultural traditions without really coming to grips with each other, and promoting tolerance and understanding between the various ethnic groups in the Australian community. [More…]

• Therefore, I believe that the wording which the Government has placed in the Bill strikes the right balance and meets the sorts of objections that are likely to be put up by people who have some fear of this concept of multiculturalism. [More…]

• It is relevant and proper that in its activities it should have regard to the policies of the Government because, after all, one thing that we hope will come out of the Institute is a study of the effects and the impact of the policies of the Government on the development of multiculturalism in Australia. [More…]

• I want to deal with a few of the sorts of fears that have come up about this concept of multiculturalism. [More…]

• The report pointed out the need for skilled research and information on experience in other countries to assist in the development of multiculturalism in Australia. [More…]

• The report also recommended that the Commonwealth provide $1.8m over a three-year period to establish an Institute of Multicultural Affairs to provide advice and information on multiculturalism. [More…]

• The Institute itself will have the task of determining multiculturalism in Australia, and certainly, to a large extent its own role. [More…]