FW: FW: New federal parliamentary inquiry on Indigenous languages[SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Kazuko Obata]

From: News (REPS) [mailto:News at aph.gov.au] 
Sent: Friday, 8 July 2011 1:44 PM
Subject: New federal parliamentary inquiry on Indigenous languages 

 

#########################################

House of Representatives - Email alert service
#########################################

 

Friday 8 July 2011

 

Language learning in Indigenous communities

 

The role of Indigenous languages in Closing the Gap and improving
outcomes for Indigenous communities is the subject of a new inquiry by
the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Affairs. The inquiry will examine the benefits of giving
recognition to Indigenous languages, and how Indigenous languages can
used in education to improve competency in English. In addition, the
inquiry will examine current maintenance and revitalisation programs for
Indigenous languages.

 

This is the first parliamentary inquiry to examine the direct
contribution that the learning of Indigenous languages can make to
overcoming disadvantage and achieving competency in English language.
The Chair of the Committee Mr Shayne Neumann MP stated, "This is a
topical inquiry to be launching during NAIDOC week - a week in which we
celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Australia's
Indigenous people. Language is such an important part of a person's
culture and identity. By examining how we can give attention and proper
recognition to Indigenous languages in Australia, we are also walking
the path of reconciliation by giving attention and proper recognition to
Indigenous cultures and identities." 

 

Mr Neumann added, "Our Committee's recent report into the
overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the criminal justice system,
Doing time - time for doing, found that self-healing and connection to
culture programs have been highly effective in getting people back on
track. Additionally we found that Indigenous language interpreting and
translating services were inadequate, particularly in remote
communities."

 

"There seems to be a belief in Australia that we are a monolingual
nation and that only Standard Australian English can benefit a person,
both educationally and vocationally. If we look outside of Australia,
the evidence is overwhelmingly to the contrary.  The benefits of being
able to speak multiple languages are tangible, particularly in Europe.
The Committee aims to look at what's working, as well as looking for
innovative measures to improve competency in English in communities
where English is a second language." 

 

The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous
Affairs and the Minister for the Arts have asked the Committee to
inquire into and report on language learning in Indigenous communities.
The Committee will broadly examine the benefits of giving attention and
recognition to Indigenous languages, with a focus on:

*        The contribution of Indigenous languages to Closing the Gap and
strengthening Indigenous identity and culture

*        The potential benefits of including Indigenous languages in
early education and measures to improve English competency and education
outcomes in Indigenous communities 

*        The effectiveness of current maintenance and revitalisation
programs for Indigenous languages, and 

*        The effectiveness of the Commonwealth Government Indigenous
languages policy in delivering its objectives and relevant policies of
other Australian governments.

 

The Committee invites submissions to the inquiry by 19 August 2011. For
the full terms of reference and advice on making submissions see the
Committee's website at www.aph.gov.au/atsia
<http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/atsia>  or contact the committee
secretariat on (02) 6277 4559.

 

For media comment, please contact the Committee Chair Mr Shayne Neumann
on 

(07) 3201 5300. For background information, contact the Committee
Secretariat on (02) 62774559 or atsia.reps at aph.gov.au

 

Issued by:

Andrew Dawson, media manager, International & Community Relations
Office,

Parliament of Australia Tel: (02) 6277 2063 wk, 0401 143 724 mob.

 


Join us on Twitter to keep up to date on a wide variety of topics and
news from the House. Follow us at http://twitter.com/AboutTheHouse
<http://twitter.com/AboutTheHouse>  


 

Have you got About the House magazine yet?

Visit: http://www.aph.gov.au/ath

 

To unsubscribe from the House of Representatives email alert service,
please send an email with "unsubscribe from email alert service" in the
header to news at aph.gov.au

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 

IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information

that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional
or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other

party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/resource-network-linguistic-diversity/attachments/20110708/4a6ce7ae/attachment.htm>