Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise proudly to speak on the Albanese Labor government's strong support for multicultural communities and the importance of our wonderful and diverse communities in McEwen. Of course, we are all part of the story of multiculturalism in Australia. There are only two kinds of people in this country: Indigenous Australians and migrants. Some have come by choice; some have come by chains. However, the values that we share, such as mateship, fairness, equality, justice, inclusion and compassion, continue to write the story of what it is to be Australian.

We see this in our daily lives in our towns and suburbs, and rather than just merely accepting diversity, we wholeheartedly embrace it as an integral part of our national identity. However, we must remain vigilant and not become complacent; reserving the fundamental values that have fuelled our achievements is imperative.

The foundation of our successful multicultural society is our immigration system. Since coming to government, we have spent significant time and energy cleaning up the mess left to us. We devoted more staff to address the visa backlog, with more than 650 additional staff in visa processing since May 2022. We prioritised key offshore case loads—temporary skilled, and student visitor. So many people who travel to Australia contribute to economic growth and assist with our labour shortages. We will continue to prioritise skill visas in the health and education sectors to help fill critical shortages in both those industries. We have cut processing times for citizenship on average by 34 per cent since we came to government, and 62 per cent of people are now waiting less than three months to attend a ceremony, removing the anxiety and stress of the extended wait.

Those listening would know the Labor Party has always recognised the contribution and value of our diverse and amazing multicultural communities. We are considered one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world, with everyday life in Australia being a melting pot of cultures, experiences, beliefs and traditions. Our success is built on the foundation of 300 different ancestries, from our First Australians to the newest arrivals. That is a consensus among most Australians. The Scanlon social cohesion report in 2023 found that 89 per cent of Australians agree that multiculturalism has been good for Australia and that 85 per cent of Australians agree that immigrants improve Australian society by bringing new ideas and new cultures.

In the 2023-24 budget, the government continued to implement a strengths based approach to build on the success of Australia's cohesive and inclusive multicultural society, including a multicultural framework review to ensure Australian government policy settings and organisational arrangements are fit for purpose in supporting our multicultural society. We have committed $18.2 million to fund community language schools so that more Australian children will have the chance to learn a second language. There was $4.9 million allocated to 61 local multicultural projects to strengthen multicultural communities across the nation and $5.6 million was allocated to 83 projects across Australia in the 2022 round of the Fostering Integration Grants program. The budget also included $20 million for the Adult Migrant English Program, supporting individual English-language learners with flexible delivery of classes and case management.

We see the benefits from multicultural communities every day. Every town, every suburb and every sporting club in our nation has success stories: people who have worked hard and dedicated themselves to establishing a better life. We should celebrate these millions of immigration success stories. Local communities across Australia are reaching out and embracing new members of their communities who have chosen to make Australia their home as they work together to build vibrant and sustainable towns.

Our community of McEwen is no different. Across the electorate, 16 per cent of constituents speak another language at home and 20 per cent were born overseas. We have thriving multicultural communities in our area. They have been recognised. We have a local Sri Lankan Lions Club and Australia's only Sikh Lions Club. My electorate is full of multicultural events and community groups. Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Sri Lankan Association of Mitchell Shire Harmony Day barbecue, organised by Sali and Champi. Indeed, later this year we'll see the Mitchell Multicultural Community Association host another multicultural event, funded in part by our election commitment of $20,000 for this important work. Community events like this bring us together, where we can enjoy delicious food, fantastic entertainment and lovely people.

We are so lucky to live in a bright and beautiful multicultural nation. The Albanese Labor government have upheld their promise to protect that. We know it's pretty easy for others to jump in. Let's refer to the Leader of the Opposition, who said, 'The criminal behaviour of some second- and third-generation Australians is the fault of migrants who came here. It was a mistake to let them in.' That is an appalling statement that should be condemned. What we saw in the Dunkley by-election was that the Liberals ran a dirty text campaign that the deputy opposition leader should resign for, but I guarantee she will be back by the next speaker.

Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Community Safety, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have the great privilege every single weekend of going to many multicultural functions as shadow minister for multicultural affairs. On Saturday, I had a Cardinia council citizenship function, where again I reminded all the new citizens of something. There were so many countries represented. There were people from 30 or 40 countries who wanted to become Australian citizens. It was a very proud day for them. The first thing I say to these citizens is that the language they speak as their mother tongue is the language they should speak to their children at home because they will pick up English at school.

I noticed something in this motion which I was very proud of previously, where $10 million was committed through the Community Languages Multicultural Grants Program. This stemmed from the report of the migration joint standing committee, which I actually chaired. At that time there was a limit of 510 hours for migrants to pick up English. The great news was that the cap was removed so that people of whatever age who come from overseas and need to learn English now get the opportunity to learn English. That's so important, in particular, when it comes to getting jobs—obviously, when an employer is looking at someone and it comes to safety regulations.

Something else that I was also very proud of was the program we had for women's cafes—women's friendship cafes. So many multicultural women would come together and meet at schools while dropping off the children. They would support each other with some very serious issues, such as when it comes to family violence, but they would also just get to know each other. It was a great initiative. Sadly, Labor and the Albanese government cut that funding program, believe it or not. I thought it was a fantastic program. Then, also in the 2022 budget, the Albanese government cut $50 million from the safer community funding program. This program was put in place after the awful atrocity of the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand. We made funding available to make places of worship safer. I was very proud to go to so many various community groups and see them able to put up more safety measures, whether those be closed-circuit TV cameras or security guards. The sad reality is that places of faith are targeted. To have that program in place gave parents more comfort when their children were going to school or to various community centres, and it was something we were very proud of. In 2023, Prime Minister Modi of India actually had to raise with Prime Minister Albanese why such an important funding program had been cut after incidents which happened in Hindu temples. Under pressure from foreign leaders like Prime Minister Modi, the Labor government put the funding back in place. I welcome that funding; it's so important to have that funding back in place.

Another one that has upset me greatly is the funding cut to high-risk youth when it comes to the safe community funding programs. I know that 133 various groups around the country, whether they be multicultural or others, were recipients who this year alone lost their funding. Many of these were in the Indigenous community, but there were many multicultural communities too. It's a crying shame that when this government came into power they cut this funding—why would they do that?

We have a very good Afghan community, and I acknowledge that they have all their amazing events coming up. They're celebrating some at the moment, and I acknowledge that it's Ramadan now and we've had Holi. But now is such a stressful time for the Afghan community because of their visas. It has taken the Albanese government and the home affairs ministers—especially the immigration minister—a long time to come back to families who are waiting desperately to find out what's happening. The sad reality is that women in particular are being targeted in Afghanistan. They're not allowed to get an education and they're not allowed to work. So I would ask the government, when they're trying to pat themselves on the back, to make sure they're doing something to help our wonderful Afghan community to get their visas approved much quicker.

Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It give me great pleasure to rise to say a few words on the motion moved by the member for Bennelong. It gives me an opportunity to talk about multiculturalism within my own electorate and across Australia more broadly.

It's no secret, as all in this debate so far have commented, that Australia has a rich immigration and multicultural history. It is one of our greatest strengths. It will help equip us for a future where everybody can be part of our social and economic life. Quite often when I'm speaking at events in Bendigo I talk about our culture in Australia being many cultures woven together—that rich tapestry we bring to this country and share with each other. It comes as no surprise to many of us that at the last census, in 2022, just over 7.7 million Australians indicated that they were born overseas. That's about 30 per cent of our population having been born overseas. Many, many more have at least one parent who was born overseas. This is part of the statement that we all read at citizenship ceremonies.

I am one of them. I'm the first in my family to be born in Australia, but I do recognise that I am often not asked about my history or my culture or when I came to Australia, because of the colour of my skin. That is something that we need to continue to address as a society. Those of us who were born here, regardless of the colour of our skin, are all Australians and all have something to contribute.

It is good to know, though, from the statistics and research that has been done, particularly by social cohesion reports, that the majority of Australians agree. Eighty-nine per cent of Australians say that multiculturalism is a good thing. Eighty-five per cent say that immigration improves Australian society by bringing in new ideas and new culture. Ninety-one per cent of Australians agree that someone born outside of Australia is just as likely to be a good citizen as somebody born in Australia. I do find this statistic a bit troubling because we are talking about exclusion, but it is good to see that 91 per cent of Australians do agree that someone born outside of Australia can be a good citizen, if they choose to become an Australian citizen.

The government recognises and welcomes the extraordinary, positive contribution that we can all make and that successive generations make. That's something, too, that is important to recognise about multiculturalism. It doesn't matter whether you yourself migrated to this country or whether it was your great-grandparents or your great-great-grandparents; all of us have part of that culture to share—that Australian story.

Whilst I am the first in my family to be born in Australia, my partner and my children are part of a long multigenerational legacy. My partner's great-great-great-grandparents emigrated to Australia from Ireland and from Germany back during the gold rushes. That's part of the history of my home town of Bendigo. Many people migrated to Bendigo in central Victoria during the gold rush era. Whether they were from Afghanistan, China, Germany or the US, or whether they came from England or broader parts of the continent, they migrated to try and strike it rich in, or to support, the goldfields.

In more recent times, we've had a resurgence, with many people choosing to make Bendigo their home, and at our citizenship ceremonies, where there's that proud moment to recognise their countries of origin, quite often there are 15 to 21 countries that people have come from—and I know that our citizenship ceremonies in Bendigo are quite small compared to some of those in Greater Melbourne, like Greater Dandenong and Wyndham Vale. It really does demonstrate that rich tapestry that we have across our country.

Our government is getting on with supporting, where we can, that rich diversity and celebrating the many ways in which migrants and multiculturalism have strengthened our country. I've mentioned citizenship. We've also started to expand support in terms of education opportunities, English-language opportunities, and we're building to make sure that the next generation has the same opportunities. As I've said, in my town we celebrate our diversity. It is our greatest strength.

Dai Le (Fowler, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just attended the Assyrian National Council's celebration of the 6774th new year over the weekend, and it was a vibrant and rich celebration joined by communities from Cambodian background, Italian background as well as Vietnamese background and Filipino background. That showcased to me the wonderful and diverse community in Fowler.

As the federal member for Fowler I take pride in and am humbled to be the face and voice of this great community that I serve. I don't believe anyone does multiculturalism better than my community in Fowler. We have about 170,000 people of 150 different ethnicities. I cannot imagine that any other electorate can beat that.

As the member for the most multicultural electorate in the country, I strongly support initiatives that will uplift my constituents, especially in terms of funding, resources and programs that will build on the culturally diverse talent that we have in our community. For far too long, multicultural communities in Fowler have been taken for granted by Labor governments and ignored by Liberal governments, such as when it comes to funding for Medicare, dental health, public transport, aged-care facilities and housing needs, just to name a few. We have been ignored and left behind.

I'm glad the member for Bennelong highlighted the government's $20 million allocation to adult migrant English programs. From my personal interactions with the Fowler community, I don't believe this amount is sufficient to address the breadth of needs. Many elderly members find it challenging to participate in these programs, especially when faced with language barriers and a lack of tailored support. That's besides their medical conditions, including both physically and mentally. Moreover, there is a need to ensure that the allocated funds are utilised effectively, with a focus on hiring qualified instructors and implementing comprehensive curricula that meet the diverse needs of learners.

One recurring issue is the insufficient funds allocated for English language courses. Many individuals, particularly refugees and migrants, express frustration over the limited options available beyond the usual Navitas and TAFE programs. These programs often struggle to cater to the diverse linguistic needs within our community of Fowler. For instance, some refugees find it challenging to engage in language learning or discussion when instructors themselves struggle with proficiency in English, creating barriers to effective communication and learning experiences.

We need to ensure funds are targeted and allocated equitably. Investing in targeted programs that empower youth to contribute meaningfully to communities can foster long-term social cohesion and inclusivity. Often, the government of the day would allocate a number to the program without considering various factors, including effectiveness, target demographics and adequacy of funding. For instance, investing in professional development for educators within English language programs is essential to ensure quality instruction and student engagement.

Additionally, addressing the trauma experienced by refugees from various regions is paramount in fostering inclusivity and participation in community initiatives. Providing culturally sensitive counselling services tailored to the diverse backgrounds and experiences of constituents can help address underlying barriers to engagement and interaction, which can later prepare them mentally for any programs or initiatives.

Another pressing issue facing our community is prolonged processing times for citizenship applications. It's disheartening to see cases languish for years, with some individuals waiting for over a decade for a resolution. This not only makes them feel excluded but also limits their rights. I'm glad to hear the government is proposing to reduce citizenship processing times by 42 per cent, and I welcome this. However, let's ensure that applications are thoroughly studied in given time to maintain the integrity of the process.

The backlog of these applications also presents another significant challenge that demands our attention. I've consistently emphasised the importance of welcoming refugees and recognising their valuable contributions to our nation. However, the government must carefully consider various factors such as housing demands, service provision and cost-of-living challenges when addressing this backlog. Simply clearing the backlog left by the previous government without thoughtful consideration could exacerbate existing problems.

So I welcome the funding mentioned by the member for Bennelong, and I urge the government to ensure its allocation of funding and resources to communities is done fairly and equitably, without leaving communities like our multicultural community of Fowler behind.

Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Multiculturalism isn't just a policy. It's a defining aspect of our Australian identity. I want to take a moment to appreciate the incredible diversity that surrounds my electorate of Tangney. Tangney is one of the most diverse electorates in Australia. Almost half of the people of Tangney were born overseas, with 162 countries of birth in my electorate of Tangney. Within my local neighbourhood, we have a rich blend of culture, languages, tradition and cuisine, each contributing to the unique diversity of this country which we all call home. Through shared experiences and mutual respect, my local community has learnt to appreciate the richness of our unique backgrounds and perspectives. This sense of cultural empathy strengthens the bonds within our community and serves as a powerful deterrent against prejudice and discrimination.

As Australians, we should take pride in our cultural diversity and recognise it as a source of strength and resilience. It is this experience of inclusivity and acceptance that defines us as a nation built on the celebration of differences. Ninety-one per cent of Australians agree that someone who was born outside of Australia is just as likely to be a good citizen as someone who was born in Australia. Australians know in their hearts that immigration and multiculturalism are some of our greatest strengths.

I'm so proud of the work that our Labor government have done to advance and promote multiculturalism and to address these visa concerns by prioritising the reunification of families to ensure skilled applicants and students can contribute to our growing economy. We are sending a clear message to those who want the chance to contribute to our nation's prosperity: you are welcome here. The average citizenship processing time has decreased by 34 per cent since Labor came into government. Labor has launched the Multicultural Framework Review, funded community language schools and allocated $5.6 million to projects across Australia through our Fostering Integration Grants program. A further $20 million was included for the Adult Migrant English Program, which is supporting English language learners with flexible delivery of language classes.

As we celebrate this accomplishment, we must also acknowledge the consecutive failures of the previous Liberal government in neglecting our immigration system, as highlighted in the Nixon review. The Nixon review identified areas of abuse and misuse of our visa system—a system overseen by the opposition leader for six long years. The former Liberal government, while in government, failed to consider the lives of those who had been waiting for progress on their applications. The Liberal legacy on immigration issues is one plagued with enabling mass exploitation and abuse, and with long wait times and a lack of transparency.

The lack of care is evident, and, as a Labor government, our commitment to our community, regardless of their country of origin, remains steadfast. The remark from a former prime minister, on 2 November 2023, that he 'always had trouble with the concept of multiculturalism', reminds me that we still face challenges, in championing diversity, from an opposition that does not value or respect people like me and those who are born outside of Australia.

Yet, in the face of this adversity, we remain resolute in our conviction that multiculturalism is not a burden but a blessing. It's an integral part of our national identity that enriches our culture, strengthens our economy and fosters unity. Let us stand together in solidarity, embrace diversity as our greatest asset and champion inclusivity as our guiding principle. Let us continue to lead by example and be a government that truly reflects our modern multicultural Australia.

Russell Broadbent (Monash, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm going to ignore the spurious attacks on previous governments by other speakers on this motion, and I'm going to do that for a very good reason. On this day I've got to say that all the governments I have served with or under in this parliament have reflected one of the lines of this motion: 'supporting a cohesive and inclusive multicultural society'. It doesn't matter whether you come from Tasmania—like you, Deputy Speaker Archer—or from New South Wales, Queensland or Victoria. A number of members have claimed that they have the most multicultural community in the whole of Australia. The member for Bruce claims—with some veracity, I think—that he has the most multicultural electorate in Victoria. There are those on each side who, as we heard from the member for Fowler, would say: 'No. I have the most multicultural community; here are the figures and here are the numbers.'

What is beautiful, broad and brazen about this whole Australian community is that we are changing, as we always knew we would, as time goes on. I can remember in this place when the word 'multiculturalism' was an absolute no-no. It started with the New South Wales state government removing the word 'multiculturalism' from any ministry, and then the same thing happened in the federal parliament. I grew up in a multicultural community called Koo Wee Rup. We could say then we had the most diverse European community of all towns, but it wasn't really, because there was also Werribee and all around Melbourne. The Italians dominated our communities; they came in poor and they worked hard, and their children worked hard. Their children were well educated, and they went on to do really good things. The people who came here from Sicily were tiny little people, because they'd been starved for generations. If you could see their sons and daughters now, three generations down the line—talk about two axe handles wide and six axe handles high! These are big people, and they have prospered. It's not only the Italians but also the Germans and the Yugoslavs, as we called them then. That name has changed a few times over the years. We had them all, and they came here to build a community.

In my electorate of Monash, we have people who had worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme and then came to work for the state electricity commission or in the open-cut mines in the Latrobe Valley, which have been an absolute blessing for Victoria. Just as Tasmania has the gift of hydroelectric power, where fourth-fifths of all of Tasmania's power comes from hydroelectricity, Victoria had this golden opportunity out of the Latrobe Valley. It was built by Monash and his team—my electorate is named after him—and it supplied Victoria's manufacturing community with cheap electricity, allowing them to be one of the most powerful manufacturing states in the world from the early 1930s through to the 1960s. That changed when all of a sudden we decided to say: 'We want renewable energy. We're not going to look at that brown coal as gold anymore; we're going to look at it as a pollutant.' Power stations that were to be built in the Latrobe Valley were abandoned, and now we're about to lose two more. I fear for our nation not because of its multicultural status but because this government is leading us on the way to a very poor future.

Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.