Australia: Victorian state government language policy

[Don Osborn]

Victoria's language policy seems to be quite progressive in some ways - I'm
given to understand that public services are required to accommodate
speakers of languages other than English if the number of speakers in a
community passes a certain threshold (possibly as low as 30-some people).
Not sure how this reflects on other sectors or for indigenous languages
generally.   Don



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
[mailto:owner-lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu] On Behalf Of Harold F.
Schiffman
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:39 AM
To: Language Policy-List
Subject: Australia: Victorian state government language policy

Victorian state government language policy

by Jane Simpson

27 March, 2007Last week the Victorian government announced its first step
towards a policy on Indigenous languages. So, Noel Pearson was onto
something.. I wonder what's on their wishlist? Dual naming of places
(that'll be slow after the Grampians fiasco)? More ceremonial language
used on ceremonial occasions and in official publications? Some Indigenous
languages to be taught in schools (that will require a big investment in
preparing teaching materials and training teachers, to avoid alienating
kids)?

It's a delicate situation - seeing what can sensibly be done with what has
been kept, while recognising what's been lost, and acknowledging the grief
over this. Oh, and presenting the languages in a way which doesn't make
them seem like dusty old boomerangs in a cupboard.

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http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/elac/2007/03/victorian_state_government_lan.html