Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Australia is, by definition, a multicultural nation. Since 1945 more than seven million people have successfully settled in this country. We are a country that includes large numbers of people who have actively chosen to be Australian and, as a result, we are unique among the countries of the world for our breadth of cultures. This diversity is a great strength economically, culturally and socially. Australia's successful approach to multiculturalism has been underpinned by practical settlement strategies, including migrant resource centres, multicultural youth organisations, English tuition, case management and coordination, and referrals to mainstream government services.

Last night, Mr Frank Lowy AC, a prominent and distinguished Australian citizen, delivered the inaugural Multicultural Council of Australia lecture here in Parliament House. In his address Mr Lowy made the point that multiculturalism has worked in Australia because we say to newcomers:

… you are welcome; you are free to worship; you are free to honour your heritage; and, we will respect the differences between us.

And in return, you should agree to live by the standards and values of this society, the one you have chosen to be a part of.

It is this mutual respect that is at the core of multiculturalism and it is this mutual respect that I hope will always be at the heart of the bipartisan political support for multiculturalism in Australia.

With respect to settlement services, it is our investment in those early periods of settlement of people newly arrived to Australia that underpin the ongoing social cohesion and social inclusion that sit at the heart of, as I have said, a unique form of successful multiculturalism in the world.