Page 1397 - Week 04 - Thursday, 12 April 2018
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quarter of Canberrans identifying as culturally and linguistically diverse, we have worked hard to ensure all members of the community receive appropriate supports to live a good life.
The ACT government’s approach to supporting and working with our culturally and linguistically diverse citizens is laid out in the ACT multicultural framework 2015-2020. The overall vision of the framework is for:
… an inclusive and cohesive society which draws on people’s cultural and linguistic diversity to enhance the social, economic, cultural and civic development of the ACT and the wellbeing for all Canberrans.
In order to achieve this vision, the ACT multicultural framework sets out three key objectives in relation to Canberra’s multicultural communities. They are: first, accessible and responsive services; second, citizenship, participation and cohesion; and, third, capitalising on the benefits of cultural diversity. As set out by Minister Berry, then Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the accessible and responsive services objective states:
The ACT government is dedicated to the provision of accessible and responsive services for all Canberrans. We must continue to provide targeted initiatives for those doing it tough in our community to ensure that they are able to fully participate in the life of our city.
While this remains an ongoing policy goal, I was pleased to hear Minister Rattenbury outline the ways in which ACT Health is engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the establishment of the office for mental health. This is a demonstration of the multicultural framework in action.
The ACT Multicultural Advisory Council was established last year to provide a platform for Canberra’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities to have their issues heard and to work even more closely with the ACT government in delivering our commitments to the community including those under the multicultural framework 2015-2020. The Multicultural Advisory Council consists of 15 members, including 10 community members appointed in a personal capacity and five representatives of multicultural community organisations. Members were selected to ensure that the overall council reflects a diversity of cultural backgrounds, interests, age, gender and life experience.
I attended the council’s first meeting and have subsequently met with the chair and deputy chair to discuss how the council wants to drive the multicultural summit to be held later this year. Planning for the summit is one of the Multicultural Advisory Council’s key areas of work in its first six to 12 months. Of course, the summit will build on existing consultation in key policy areas. It will be important for the council, as key individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and as representatives of multicultural community organisations, to shape and lead the important consultations leading up to the summit and on the day.
I expect that this consultation will facilitate important conversations on the appropriate approach to government services such as mental health, to ensure that
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