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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3818 ..

MS REILLY (continuing):

of our society. In the same way, the ACT is a multicultural society and we go about celebrating this diversity in many ways. We are the national capital and we have people from many other different nations living and working here because of diplomatic postings. We recognise this and we live together in harmony in most cases. We work towards accepting these changes and making them a good part of our community.

We go beyond just a superficial recognition of differences in cultures through the education system, where we accept difference. We look at different cultures. We look at language and we accept differences in language. We also, as part of our education system, continue to work towards maintaining our tolerance and our democratic activities. If we allow abuse and intolerance to grow within our society we lose and curtail freedom for all of us. If we do not make comment, if we allow this abuse to go on, we lose. As a whole this community loses.

The motion raises the issue of disadvantage, particularly in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I think we need to look at the disadvantage that is suffered through the failure to recognise and acknowledge differences in culture. It is not just a matter of saying, "They have not got the same as us". Quite often it has been impossible for them to access services that are open to other members of Australian society. In some cases they do not have access to the most basic essential service, clean water. In a discussion last week Mick Dodson was talking about access to housing, but it goes beyond that. It is even access to infrastructure. Without your basic infrastructure a house is not going to be able to stand up to the rigour of some of the harsher parts of Australia.

There is also the need to recognise differences in culture and people's needs. Particular things like housing are not all the same. The desire to live in a three-bedroom brick house is not something that is dear to the hearts of all. I think we need to look at cultural differences in the way we deliver services as well as acknowledging some of the differences in language or food or whatever, because services and people's needs for services vary. In Aboriginal communities when you are looking at houses, it is not just a matter of having a house that might be suitable to be put up in a suburb of Sydney. We have to take account of the climate and the cultural need where this house is to be located. The standard grid pattern is not always the most suitable for Aboriginal communities because it does not take account of their kinship needs. If you look at the size of houses, most people of Anglo-Celtic descent are happy to live in a nuclear family situation. For a number of cultures extended families are important, so an ordinary sized suburban house is not going to be suitable. Recognising diversity within the Australian community goes beyond just the language; it goes beyond just saying, "We accept them". We must look at the services and deliver services that are appropriate.

It is important in all these issues that the Government show leadership. It shows leadership not just through making statements but also through the action it takes. The amendment put up by Mr Whitecross recognises the importance of the action that a government takes. It is not just a matter of saying, "We must have a tolerant society". You must also ensure that people have the opportunity to access that society.

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