[lg policy] Australia: FECCA is calling for the main political parties to adopt policy platforms that respond to Australia's cultural and linguistic diversity.

Mon Jun 20 20:54:44 UTC 2016

 SBS World News Radio: The national group representing migrant communities
has accused the two main political parties of a lukewarm response to the
policy priorities of Australia's ethnic groups.
By
Kristina Kukolja

20 Jun 2016 - 5:00 PM  UPDATED YESTERDAY 7:28 PM
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The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) has
written to the Coalition and Labor, as well as the Greens, seeking
commitments in 10 policy areas ahead of the federal election.

FECCA is calling for the main political parties to adopt policy platforms
that respond to Australia's cultural and linguistic diversity.

As a top priority, it has identified the creation of a federal
Multicultural Act to enshrine multiculturalism in law.

FECCA says legislating multiculturalism would ensure a whole-of-government
approach to issues involving and affecting communities from non-English
speaking backgrounds. (NESB)

Chairman Joe Caputo says the organisation wrote to the Coalition, Labor and
the Greens to see where they stand on the issue in the lead-up to the July
2 election.

The Coalition has told FECCA existing laws and policies are sufficient.

Labor has pledged to resurrect the Office for Multicultural Affairs within
the Department of Social Services, invest $24 million for improvements in
the Adult Migration English Program, while increasing support for workforce
participation programs and the Human Rights Commission's anti-racism
strategy.

Mr Caputo says these responses are lacking.

"On the national legislative framework on multiculturalism, the two major
parties are lukewarm and they have not responded as we would want them to
respond. Only the Greens agree that a national legislative framework on
multiculturalism, they would support it fully. Both with Labor and the
Coalition, there does not seem to be an appetite for changing their policy
in this area."

The Greens were also the only party prepared to back FECCA's proposal for
an integrated national policy framework on languages.

FECCA wants to see language policy that takes into account Australia's
economic imperatives, as well as the place of language learning and
maintenance in identity and cultural development.

It calls for mandatory second-language education, and measures to support
endangered languages.

Joe Caputo says Labor and the Coalition appear reluctant to take a stand on
migrant and refugee community issues.

"I think that they feel that if they were to take up that cause they would
have a backlash from the general community, whereas we don't believe that's
the case given that survey after survey of the *Scanlon Foundation has
found that over 85 per cent of the community supports multiculturalism. So,
states that have introduced that kind of legislative framework have not had
a backlash - on the contrary, they got a lot of support from the community."

In total, FECCA sought responses in 10 policy areas -- among them aged and
disability care, family violence, and the future of SBS and community
broadcasting.

It also urges changes to the family migration stream, in particular the
basis on which the intake quota for partner visa applicants is determined.

Another focal point is the presence of women from non-English speaking
backgrounds in boardrooms.

Labor and the Coalition have committed to ensuring 50 per cent government
board seats are occupied by women - the opposition saying their target
would be by the end of a first term in office.

But FECCA says gender equality policies ignore the specific challenges
faced by migrant and refugee women.

And that's a view shared by Voula Messimeri from the Melbourne-based
Australian-Greek Welfare Society.

Ms Messimeri was part of a 2013 FECCA-led study into the participation of
NESB women on boards and other decision-making bodies.

She says not enough is known in this area, and much of the information is
anecdotal.

Ms Messimeri says the study identified some unique obstacles, including
women prioritising family settlement over their careers, and feeling
opportunities are limited irrespective of their qualifications.

"They felt they were discriminated against - overtly and covertly - which
kept them in a safer area, if you like, within multicultural affairs
leadership. And within that context they occupied not necessarily the roles
of chairperson, but rather they were on the boards. They felt that their
skills and expertise were not necessarily taken up, they couldn't have a
handle in terms of getting into mainstream boards."

Voula Messimeri says, even with relevant experience, it's hard for women
from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds to get ahead.

"That is very much about having access to influential mentors that often
provide women generally with a pathway to the boards - especially public
boards and higher level boards. Without that and without the influence of
knowing a few people that can introduce you to the right people and
introduce you to a board in the right context, it's very difficult for CALD
women to get traction."

The document containing FECCA's policy questions to the three main
political parties, and their responses, can be found here:

http://fecca.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Federal-Election-2016-Multicultural-policy-commitments-from-the-major-parties.pdf

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/06/20/main-parties-multicultural-policy-responses-lukewarm-fecca

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