Page 2824 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 11 October 2022
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Multiculturalism is a conscious political and social choice made by the government and society in response to diversity. In the ACT, our vision is for a welcoming, harmonious, inclusive and respectful community where people of all cultures, languages and faiths have equal opportunity and responsibility to belong, contribute, achieve and succeed.
The Multiculturalism Bill embraces and celebrates the contributions of Canberrans from all backgrounds to the contemporary identity as well as the heritage of this city. It lays the foundation and vision for a society which upholds, respects and protects the inherent dignity and worth of each person regardless of their migration status, cultural background, physical appearance or ability or expressions of gender, sexuality and/or religion.
The act acknowledges everyone’s personal sense of identity is complex and can change over time and between generations. The act embraces the multiple and intersectional forms of belonging we each value to advance a society where everyone feels safe, supported and valued to be themselves. This bill brings the ACT in line with New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.
I would now like to highlight the key features of this bill. The charter of principles for multiculturalism is the centrepiece of this legislation. It is a rights-based values statement for an ACT we want to live in and the norms we want to live by. The charter affirms what we expect of ourselves, of each other, of our community and our government. It places a positive obligation on all Canberrans to understand biases and be open, respectful and to understand and embrace diversity in all its forms.
Foundational to the charter are the principles and responsibilities which recognise the right of all Canberrans to participate fully and on equal terms in society; to freely and safely express their culture, language, religious and spiritual beliefs; and to be protected from racism and discrimination. These principles and responsibilities will guide the development and implementation of more inclusive government policies, programs and services.
The bill also establishes the Ministerial Advisory Council for Multiculturalism as a statutory body. The council has existed as a non-statutory body since 2017 and has made a significant contribution to multicultural policy development, including this bill. The bill formalises the council’s important function as a source of advice and expertise on the evolving needs and concerns of our multicultural community. The council will consult broadly to support the exchange of information and ideas between the minister and the members of the ACT community, and it will play a role in ensuring the principles in the charter are upheld. It will include a diverse membership which is representative of the community, and members will be appointed for terms of up to three years.
The draft bill also provides strong mechanisms for accountability and transparency. All ACT government directorates and the ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs will be required to report publicly every year on their progress in promoting multiculturalism. In addition, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs must also prepare a multicultural policy statement which details government strategies and priorities in promoting multiculturalism for the next year. Annual reporting enables public
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