Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I speak on the Immigration (Education) Amendment (Expanding Access to English Tuition) Bill 2020. The Adult Migrant English Program assists migrants coming to Australia to learn English. The Morrison government is now in its eighth year and has so far, sadly, all but neglected AMEP. This deficit must be fixed. It is essential that new migrants can access programs to develop essential English language skills. I know how important this program is in my electorate. In the Moreton community, 40 per cent of the population—two people in five—were born overseas and 36 per cent speak a language other than English at home. Moreton is a wonderful, vibrant multicultural community in the most multicultural country in the world. Moreton is successful because migrants participate in the local community. Migrants are over-enrolled when it comes to community groups. Moreton is successful because migrants can communicate with their community and with their neighbours.

The Commonwealth currently provides 510 hours of English course tuition to permanent visa holders and holders of certain temporary visa classes. This bill removes the cap of 510 hours and extends language eligibility. It removes time limits for registration and allows for the provision of tuition overseas. These amendments will allow free access to English tuition for longer so migrants can reach a higher level of English proficiency. The bill will also enable access to English language courses to be provided to persons outside Australia in preparation for migration.

When introducing this bill, the minister said: 'Without adequate English language skills, migrants will find it harder to get a job, harder to integrate into their local community and harder to participate in Australia's democracy.' I agree with the minister. Labor, along with other stakeholders, has been campaigning for changes to the Adult Migrant English Program for some time. It's essential that migrants can fully participate in Australian life. That will occur only if effective settlement services are in place, including English language proficiency. The Morrison government has failed to support effective settlement services, has failed to listen to stakeholders and has failed to take responsibility for this critical program.

The government's 2017 changes to the structure, funding and curriculum of the Adult Migrant English Program were, sadly, a complete failure. The Scanlon Foundation reported in June last year 'intense discontent' on the part of providers and teachers following the 2017 changes, and many of us remember the Liberal government's discriminatory plan to impose a citizenship language test. That was absolutely the wrong message to send to the community. Labor supports this bill and will work constructively with the government and multicultural communities to ensure that the Adult Migrant English Program meets the needs of new migrants, and supports and promotes social cohesion. It's important for new migrants, it's important for our communities and it's important for our nation. Multiculturalism is what makes this country great, and multiculturalism is what will make it even greater in a changing world.

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