ECCQ in person consultation (evening) - Multicultural Framework Review

ECCQ are working to promote a socially cohesive, equitable, respectful and multicultural Queensland. We invite our members and associates to contribute their thoughts as we prepare a submission for the federal Multicultural Framework Review through this online consultation.

The Multicultural Framework Review is currently being conducted by the Australian Government. There is a Review Panel and a Reference Group who provide advice. They are conducting public consultations and have invited submissions before 29 September, 2023. 

Below is information from the Department of Home Affairs page on the Multicultural Framework Review: 

“The Review will assess and make recommendations on the institutional arrangements, legislative and policy settings required to advance a multicultural Australia and meet the current and future needs of multicultural Australia at the Commonwealth level. 

The Review will consider the diverse range of experiences in multicultural Australia, including Australians of migrant family backgrounds, people born overseas themselves or who have at least one parent born overseas, refugees and humanitarian entrants, and permanent and temporary visa holders.” 

“The Review will consider: 

• the effectiveness of existing federal:  

• legislative and regulatory frameworks and legal settings 
• relevant policy settings and programs 
• strategies to promote multiculturalism, social cohesion and inclusion, and 
• services designed to support multicultural Australia 

• how the above existing federal arrangements interact with state and local government settings, identifying potential areas of duplication and gaps, and opportunities for further inter-governmental collaboration 
• roles and functions of government and non-government organisations respectively​ 
• identifying areas for reform to address any systemic barriers that prevent people from multicultural communities from fully participating in Australian society, including those barriers that exist due to racism and discrimination 
• the effectiveness of current federal diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, including for the promotion of people from CALD backgrounds into leadership roles 
• how the Federal Government can more strategically communicate and engage multicultural Australia, including in languages other than English 

• opportunities to define a modern shared Australian identity and strengthen public understanding of multiculturalism as a collective responsibility through education and public awareness raising.” 

“The Review will not consider: 

• operational level policy, procedure or program settings or implementation 
• immigration or visa processes, applications, timeframes, outcomes or review 
• immigration compliance or border protection policies or operational settings.” 

“The Review will be a first principles review of multiculturalism in Australia. It will provide clarity on the principles of multiculturalism, ensuring they are relevant, responsive and adaptable over time. 

It will apply a strengths based lens to consider institutional arrangements and legislative and policy settings at the Commonwealth level. 

The Review will advise the Government on what institutional, legislative and policy settings can best build Australia’s multiculturalism over the next decade. It will also aim to identify how to better meet the needs of Australia’s increasingly diverse society. 

The Review will acknowledge the diversity of Australia’s First Nations cultures, languages, lore and connection to lands and waters. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and groups will be invited to contribute to the consultation process to reflect on their experience of living in a multicultural Australia.” 

There is a very helpful overview of multicultural policy since 2010 on the Federal Parliament website which can be found here. 

Currently The Department of Home Affairs holds the federal level responsibility for multicultural affairs. This includes: 

• the most recent Multicultural Access and Equity Policy was published in 2016  
• the Harmony Week initiative 
• the Australian Values website 

• the administration of grants programs including the Community Languages Multicultural Grants Program and the Fostering Integration Grants program. 

Current Queensland Government policies impacting on multicultural communities include: 

• the Queensland Government’s Multicultural Policy – ‘Our story, our future’ published in 2018 
• the third Queensland Multicultural Action Plan 2022 – 2024 
• the Multicultural Queensland Advisory Council, current members term 2022 – 2025.