MIGRATION ACTION Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985

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How they do it in NSW: mainstreaming, anti-discrimination, migrant women etc . . . plus all our regular features! Migration \ Action

Volume VII — Number 3 (1985) Migration Action is published by the Ecumenical Migration Centre (133 Church Street, Richmond, Victoria, Australia, 3121 — Tel: CONTENTS 428 4948).

E.M.C. is a non-denominational agency which through its welfare, Ethnic Programs in Government: Marginal or Mainstream?..... 4 educational and community work Des Crowley fosters the development of Australia The Anti-Discrimination Board...... 9 as a multi-cultural society. The Cen­ Margaret Helman tre has been working with im­ Community Disputes and their Resolution...... 13 migrants since 1962 and is one of the Wendy Faulkes few agencies geared specially to meet Migrant Women in the Women’s Movement...... 17 the needs of immigrants. Its work is diversified with a strong emphasis on Suvendi Perera welfare work with a non-English Ethno-specific and Community Services...... 21 speaking clientele, community education and community develop­ Assurances of Support — Update...... 25 ment. Interview: Jo Lo Bianco...... 27 Workers provide a much needed welfare and counselling service for Legislation against Incitement to Racial Hatred...... 33 Greek and Turkish immigrants and Vietnamese refugees, as well as sup­ World Scene...... 35 port for smaller groups such as Timorese. Action...... 38 CHOMI (Clearing House on Migration Issues) is a unique infor­ All in the Family...... 50 mation centre on migration issues What the Academics Tell Us...... 57 which provides a base for the Cen­ tre’s community education pro­ Reviews...... 59 gramme. The library holds 30,000 documents and 200 periodicals which are used by students, teachers, government departments and others Editor: Michael Liffman seeking up-to-date information or Design and Layout: Michael Liffman undertaking research. Editorial Committee: David Cox, Walter Lippman and Lidio Bertelli.

It is not the intention of this Journal to reflect the opinion of either the team or the committee of the EMC. In many matters this would be difficult to ascertain nor do the Editors think it desirable. The aim of the Journal is to be informative and stimulating through its various articles, suggestions and comments.

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Page 2 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 ; '•*++++*+*•■+*+**■*■»****+*■++++*■*■++**+•++++++++••++*++++++++*■*■•■++*■**■*■ f —-**++*+*++++****-*-++**»+*++»++*-+*+'i Editorial

In keeping with Migration Action’s objective of providing a national forum for discussion of immigration and ethnic affairs, for this issue the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission has been invited to present several contributions dealing with the work and perspective of the NSW Government. In the following introductory comment, Dr Paulo Totaro, Chairman of the Commission, summarises those contributions. Alongside the special emphasis on NSW, some other articles are included, as are Migration Action’s regular features. Special thanks are due to the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission, especially to Paulo Totaro and Des Crowley for their editorial assistance, and to Jarka Sipka for her illustrations. Michael Liftman, Editor

“Mainstreaming” is the turning point in the better access to government services will be brief history of the NSW government’s ethnic achieved by effecting change within the and multicultural affairs. During the period mainstream of government departments — 1975-83 the emphasis in NSW intervention was and not through the creation of more specialist to set up special ethnic and multicultural units, units. How this is being achieved is illustrated to compensate for deficiencies in the provision in an article by Des Crowley. by the government sector of services to migrant Two important innovations in NSW have been and ethnic communities. This led to the the creation in 1979 of the Anti-Discrimination creation of a healthy number of specialist Board, and more recently, setting up of the bodies. Their function has been central in Community Justice Centres. Two articles, altering the public sector perspective as to the respectively by Margaret Helman and Wendy expectations and needs of the diverse Faulkes, tell of these NSW experiments. population that makes up our society. Their The NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission’s achievements have been too many to even Suvendi Perera recounts the experience of a mention in a brief editorial. group of ethnic women from NSW attending the recent Women and Labor Conference in An unfortunate by-product, however, has Queensland — and how that group turned what been that many such bodies and their staff seemed to be a further experience in have found themselves in subordinate and marginalisation into an assertive and positive marginalised positions. The marginalisation in intervention. certain cases has been such as to create A current topic for debate in NSW, as well profound concern. It almost seemed as if the as in the Commonwealth, through the marginal status of ethnic policy advisers on, worthwhile efforts of the Human Rights say, migrant health or education was a mirror Commission, is whether special legislation of the marginal and subordinate status of so should be introduced to offer recourse against many migrants in the community. those who incite the public to hate members It was with this in mind that the government of the community because of race. My personal decided to make a decisive change of tack. The views on the matter are included in the form course is the same but the strategy is different: of an article.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 3 Ethnic Programmes in Government: Marginal or Integral?

Des Crowley

Des Crowley is a Project Officer with the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission

ADMIMISTRATiorl Since 1976, it has been the policy of the N.S.W. Goverment: Ma n a g e m e n t )> "... that no individual or group in the p e r s o n n e l S> community should be discriminated against or 4 e n q u i r i e s excluded from the fullest participation in the social, economic and cultural life of the INFORMATION « community or from the fullest share of all the A c c o u n t s s> opportunities the community offers".'1 4 6 'T o R A G f The establishment of the Ethnic Affairs Commis­ OMBUDSMAN sion in 1977 was the first major step taken to 4 promote participation and equal access for ELECTORAL o f f k i immigrants and ethnic groups. copyrnsHT <5 TR i B u n i a l In December 1983, the N.S.W. Government took another major step in launching a policy initiative So c ia l Se c u r e $ Pu Bu iC tCRVICt that has the potential to change the face of ethnic A R B r f a A f b R affairs in the state. Premier Wran, in a memo to all immigration ! Ministers, requested that every Government HEALTH DEPT R> department and statutory authority prepare, by December 1984, an Ethnic Affairs Policy Statement, i r t g i s t ^ l J a form of management plan which would set out c iv il c l a i a i s goals and strategies aiming to ensure that all g r a i n h an d un g! members of the N.S.W. community, regarjdless of « language, ethnic, racial or cultural background, GoVT ACTUARY have equal access to the services provided by the o e p t c#= ' state government, and further that such services AhIT i DISCR i M i MATW should be culturally appropriate an^l non- ! discriminatory. HO VACANCY j)N The Policy Statements are to be assessed by the Ethnic Affairs Commission, which will advise the Premier as to their acceptability. Departments and authorities are also required to report annually on /\ - how they implement their policies.

Page 4 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 The precise objectives of the policy initiative rticular difficulties that had been identified; for are:— example, the translation of publicity or information, (i) to increase the awareness of ethnic groups compiling of “ in-house interpreter” lists, inclusion of the services that are available to them, of components on cultural awareness or cross- (ii) to eliminate any discrimination in the cultural communication in training for counter planning and delivery of services, officers. While all of these may be valid and (iii) to promote services which are culturally effective practices which improve access for ethnic sensitive and appropriate to all clientele. groups, they were rarely incorporated within any Over the past five years, most of the major overall policy context, thus, there were inconsist­ government departments offering services to the encies in implementation, and it was also difficult public — for example, Education, Health, TAFE, to evaluate the effect of steps taken. In some Youth and Community Services (YACS), Police — instances, the steps taken arose from the expertise, had established specialist units, or appointed awareness or interest of a particular member of specialist staff whose function was to ensure that staff, and were often allowed to lapse if that person the general services provided should be accessible changed jobs. and relevant to migrants and ethnic groups, and, This, then, was the context of the Ethnic Affairs where appropriate, that services to meet the Policy initiative — a lack of uniformity in the particular needs of immigrants should be development of programmes aimed at promoting developed. access for ethnic groups, and, in general, at The roles of such units or staff, and the impact assigning responsibility for the development, even they were able to have, varied considerably. In the implementation, of multicultural policies to some cases, multicultural policies covering the specialised ethnic or multicultural units. whole of a department’s activities were developed. The significance of the Ethnic Affairs Policy In other cases, the specialist services developed Statements lies in their scope. The Ethnic Affairs often had little relation to, or impact on, the rest of Policy initiative quite explicitly assigns responsibility the department’s services and functions. for the implementation of broad government policy The limited effectiveness of some of these not just to specialist units within major service services was reflective of a broader problem — the departments, but to all staff across the range of specialist ethnic units or staff were often regarded programmes and services within a department, and as being additional to, or apart from, the general across all departments and authorities within the or “ normal” activities of the organisation. Being government’s administration. viewed as an extra and specialised programme, Although the Ethnic Affairs Policy Statements rather than as an integral part of the organisation’s focus on service provision, an acceptable Policy role, they were vulnerable to being cut back or Statement must go beyond actual service delivery, abolished when circumstances changed; for to those activities and functions which impinge example, in times of budgetary constraint, or a upon services — planning, policy-making, publicity, reassessment of priorities, or an internal staff development, data collection and so on. There restructuring. are very few branches or activities within any one department which will be exempt from the In addition, the very existence of specialist ethnic requirements of the Ethnic Affairs Policy initiative. units may, in one sense, have worked against the development of a department-wide commitment to It is in this sense that the policy initiative has multicultural policies and programmes. It made it been referred to as “ mainstreaming”. It aims to possible, if not easy, to “ leave it to them". The unit ensure that services for people of non-English- staff’s expertise in promoting services that were speaking background are not viewed as special or accessible to ethnic groups enabled others to feel extra, or somene else’s responsibility, but rather absolved of any responsibility to develop expertise that immigrants and ethnic groups are consistently or commitment on their own part. At times this and automatically seen as being an integral part could mean that a department’s multicultural or of the wider community, with the same rights of ethnic affairs policy was not necessarily imple­ access to mainstream government services as mented effectively and did not necessarily lead to anyone else, and further, that those responsible for improved access or more culturally appropriate the planning and provision of government service services for immigrants. have a duty to ensure that no one is excluded from that service because of ethnic background or Of other departments and authorities, many have language. either few staff resources or a limited public contact role, and hence rarely had the expertise andtor the There have been expressions of confusion or impetus to develop multicultural policies and concern, especially from community organisations, programmes. At times specific, and usually ad hoc, about what exactly “mainstreaming” means, either measures were taken to attempt to address as a concept or in its effect. One fear that has been

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 5 voiced is that “mainstreaming” is simply a new term The Ethnic Affairs Policy Statements focus on for “assimilation”, that its intent is to pull immigrants service provision. It would be very difficult to argue or ethnic groups into the “Anglo” cultural main­ that questions of access, information, discrimina­ stream. The objectives of the Ethnic Affairs Policy tion in service delivery and so on, are not of vital Statements should be sufficient to dispel this fear. concern; however, to equate “mainstreaming” only Another concern is that “mainstreaming” will with issues of service delivery to people of non- provide a rationale for cutting back on specialist English-speaking background is to consign those ethnic units or advisers, and on funding for ethnic people to the status of mere passive consumers, specific organisations. clients. The past experiences of many ethnic ' This view rests upon the assumption that the communities may justify some mistrust or “mainstream” is a monocultural bastion of “Anglo” pessimism about the ability, if not the willingness, values, from which people of other backgrounds are of some government departments to institute real excluded except insofar as they use the services changes that will provide people of non-English- that the bastion provides. In this case, specialist speaking background with equal access to ethnic units or staff are a foot in the door, of vital services, and with non-discriminatory services. The importance now and in the foreseeable future. If, Ethnic Affairs Policy initiative, however, establishes however, one sees “mainstreaming” as a collection procedures which will make it very difficult for any of measures, of which the Ethnic Affairs Policy organisation to avoid its responsibilities. Statements are only one part, then the assumption No one expects the objectives of the Policy State­ no longer holds. ments to be achieved quickly or easily, and the The other side of “mainstreaming” is represented specialist units or staff which do exist are likely to by the steps taken by the N.S.W. government to play major roles in achieving the policy objectives promote equal access for people of non-English- (although the roles of many of them will need to be speaking background to employment opportunities changed to incorporate a more significant policy­ and decision-making processes within the making component). There will also continue to be administration: Anti-discrimination legislation, Equal a need for services to meet the particular needs, Employment Opportunity and affirmative action most obviously in the area of language services, programmes, changes to Public Service Board of people of non-English-speaking background. It procedures and regulations. The success of these must, however, be recognised that the achievement initiatives will mean that people with expertise in, of the Ethnic Affairs Policy objectives will eliminate and commitment to multicultural issues and ethnic the need for most specialist ethnic units or staff, affairs are not confined to specialist ethnic units, and it is difficult to see why this should be viewed but are able to bring their expertise to bear in the as a matter of concern in itself. “mainstream” administrative structures and The use of the term “ mainstreaming” as a processes. synonym for the Ethnic Affairs Policy Statements There has been confusion both within and may have contributed to the emergence of these outside of government departments about the rather narrowly-based concerns. differences between Equal Employment

Page 6 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Opportunity and the Ethnic Affairs Policy State­ the delivery of culturally appropriate services ments. Again, if “mainstreaming” is seen as should not depend upon extra resources; this harks encompassing both initiatives, then both-the links back to the problems (mentioned above) of regard­ and the differences between the two are clear. ing services for people of non-English-speaking Without clearly defined policy directions, there is background as an extra programme, to be imple­ no guarantee that the achievement of E.E.O. mented when resources allow, but dispensable objectives will automatically and consistently lead when resources are tightened. to better, more equitable service delivery to ethnic The full achievement of the policy objectives may communities. On the other hand, without policies be delayed by the lack of extra resources, but to and procedures which promote the participation of make the implementation of the policy contingent people of non-English-speaking background in the upon resources over and above ordinary budgetary planning and admininstration of services, the allocations is to build into the policy initiative the achievement of equally accessible and culturally seeds of its own failure. appropriate services is made much more difficult. The Ethnic Affairs Policy Statements, then, are The overlap between the two is considerable. a major innovation. The policy initiative should Another area of concern about the Ethnic Affairs introduce across the government administration the Policy Statements is the fact that no extra resources flexibility to ensure that services to people of non- have been provided to departments to assist in the English-speaking background are not relegated to implementation of strategies. It has been suggested the marginal status of special programmes, but are that this will provide departments with a ready­ viewed as an integral part of general service made excuse to avoid doing anything, (which, it provision. Along with Equal Employment Oppor­ might be noted, unwarrantedly assumes that the tunity and related policies it represents a major step prevailing attitude within government departments towards drawing people of non-English-speaking to the policy initiative is one of resistance and background into the mainstream of government in hostility). N.S.W. The resource issue is rather more complex. On one hand, it is realistic to expect that many departments with a backlog of work to be done towards promoting equal access, will need to References reallocate resources in order to implement some strategies, which in turn may mean that strategies 1. Ethnic Affairs Commission of N.S.W. Participation: Report To The Premier, June 1978, p. 1. will have to be phased in over several years. On the See also: other, the principles which underlie the Ethnic Ethnic Affairs Commission of N.S.W.: Ethnic Affairs Policy Affairs Policy initiative demand that the promotion Statements in New South Wales Government Administration. of equal access, the removal of discrimination and July, 1984.

MIGRATION ACTION Rsgistarsd by Australia Post PUBLICATION NO. VAW 15M - CATEGORY A THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE IN THE PRESS 1 9 8 4 ... Some copies of Special Issue! these THE 1984 important IMMIGRATION DEBATE CHOMI publications are still available!

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 7 edited by A. MARCUS and M G RICKLEFS

Few would dispute the importance of Professor Geoffrey Blainey's intervention in the controversy about Australia's immigration policy. For behind the heated arguments for and against his views lie serious issues concerning our past and, particularly, the notion that the study of history reveals ‘lessons’ we ignore at our peril.

In this volume eleven scholars subject Professor Blainey’s views to careful scrutiny. The result is an intriguing exploration of how historians carry out their investigations, how they marshal and interpret evidence, and how the pre-dispositions they bring to their work help shape our ideas about the past — and our attitudes towards the society Australia is becoming.

As we prepare to celebrate 200 years of white settlement, SURRENDER AUSTRALIA, will give every citizen cause to reflect on what happened in those two centuries, and in the part historians play in making that past.

Dr Andrew Markus is a specialist in the history of immigration and ethnic relations; Professor M.C. Ricklefs is an historian of Asia. They have brought together a team of social scientists who have produced a fascinating contribution to one of the enduring concerns of our time — the significance of racism in the creation of the Australian community.

Contents: Tables; Contributors; Introduction; 1 1984 or 1901 ? Immigration and Some ‘Lessons' o f Australian History; 2 Why Asians? 3 Public Opinion and the Public Opinion Polls; 4 The Tyranny o f Distance: A Flawed Paradigm; 5 How Biainey Half Won the Land; 6 The Case o f the Jog-Trotting Chinese; 7 Blainey and Aborig­ inal History; 8 Blainey and Being Australian; 9 Racism and Class in the Nineteenth-Century Immigration Debate; 10 Unemployment, Race and Public Opinion: Reflections on the Asian Immigration Controversy o f 1888; 11 Immigration and Racism in the Land o f the Long Weekend; 12 Appendix: A Chronology o f Press, items on Asian Immigration, 19 March-30 September 1984; Notes, index.

April 1985 149pp 215mm x 140mm

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POSTCODE The Anti-Discrimination Board

Mara a ret Helman Margaret Helman works for the Anti-Discrimination y Board of N.S.W.

In the past ten years four Australian States and the Commonwealth have passed legislation aimed at overcoming discrimination and promoting equal opportunity. In New South Wales the Anti-Discrimination Act was passed in 1977. The Act has been amended several times in its short life. It nows provides for an Anti-Discrimination Board as an independent body to investigate complaints and conciliate them and undertake research and community relations programmes to combat bias and prejudice. In 1981 the judicial functions of the Anti-Discrimination Board were transferred to an Equal Opportunity Tribunal. The Equal Opportunity Tribunal can hold a public enquiry into cases which have failed to be conciliated by the Board.

Many social values changed dramatically during appointed by the government of New South Wales. the sixties and seventies in Australia. The machinery of the Board provides the power The N.S.W. government has responded to those to make a full investigation of the facts relating to changes and in the past eight years we have seen the complaint. If the investigation shows the great strides made in the field of human rights. complainant has been treated unfairly according to Policies and practices have been introduced to the law the Board attempts to find a solution to the promote opportunities for all people to participate complaint, acceptable to all the parties involved. in the mainstream life of our community. The most commonly asked question by The Anti-Discrimination Act, passed in 1977, complainants is “whether they will be victimised for provides the machinery for conciliating and taking action and lodging a complaint”. The law has adjudicating discrimination grievances. paid consideration to this sensitive aspect of the The protected grounds under the Act are race, procedure and it provides protection for sex, marital status, homosexuality, intellectual complainants against victimisation as well as other impairment and physical impairment. The Act people involved in the complaint process, such as outlaws discrimination in public life in such areas witnesses. as: employment, public education, provision of The law also provides for “ representative com­ goods and services, accommodation, gaining plaints” to be made to the Board. A “ representative membership of most registered clubs, advertising complaint” means a complaint lodged by a person for vacant positions and accommodation. or two people on behalf of themselves and other people. This would occur when a group of people The Anti-Discrimination Board feel they have been discriminated against in the The Anti-Discrimination Board was set up to same way . . . for example a complaint against their administer the legislation. It is an independent body employer.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 9 Examples Anna Esposito Some examples of the law being used are: Anna Esposito is a credit clerk with a large Hassan Nami finance company. She is 24, and has been working Hassan Nami came to Australia from Turkey long enough to save the deposit for a home unit. three years ago with his wife and children. He She knows that her friend, Jim Chan, has recently works in a sheet metal factory. He is a good, hard received a loan from the company’s staff loan worker who keeps to himself, mainly because scheme to buy himself a unit not too far from town. nobody else can speak Turkish and he doesn’t Jim works with Anna as a credit clerk, but is a speak English very well yet. A group of men who couple of years younger than she is. Anna applies work with him don’t like the way he looks or speaks, for a staff loan, too, but her application is refused. and they won’t let him forget it. They believe that When she asks why, she is told that men in the all people who don’t look like they do should put up company are eligible for a staff loan after they turn with their abuse and “jokes”. They never stop calling 21, but that women have to be 25 before they can Hassan things like “bloody dago”, “smelly wog” and apply. “dumb Arab”. If Hassan looks angry, they say he Anna thinks that she has been treated very can’t take a joke. Hassan can’t answer back unfairly. She believes that she and Jim should get because his English isn’t good enough. He puts up the same benefits from the company, since they with this abuse for months, then one day he hits do the same work. She makes a complaint to the one of the men who makes a crude remark about Anti-Discrimination Board, saying that she has not Hassan’s wife. A fight follows, and Hassan gets the had a fair deal over the loan because of her sex. sack because he is a “typical wog stirrer”. Hassan feels that he has been treated very A conciliation officer interviewed Anna using a unfairly. He is a good, hard worker, who has never Spanish speaking member of the Board's staff to made any trouble. He makes a complaint to the reiterate any difficult legal points in both languages. Anti-Discrimination Board, saying that he has not The investigation included the following considera­ had a fair deal over his iob because of his ethnic tions: origin. — Is Anna Esposito in fact an employee of that An interpreter is arranged so that Hassan can company? have a comprehensive interview with a conciliation — How long had she been working for the officer at the Board. At this point the conciliation company? officer considers a range of issues. For example: — What are staff benefit policies set down by the — Had the worker who was allegedly harassing company? Hassan received any warnings from his supervisors? — Do they vary for males and females? — Hassan was employed under the Metal Trades — Is there a union covering workers or is it a non­ Award — does that award include dismissal for union workplace? physical fighting on the job? — Is this a matter for the industrial courts? What happened to Anna and Hassan? — Has the workplace ever had any previous In the above case the matter was settled when similar incidents? a search of the staff policy on benefits revealed that — Do they have a policy about racial or sexual it set out different conditions for males and females harassment? and was unlawful under the Anti-Discrimination Act. — If the matter can be conciliated does Hassan The company changed their policy after this want to be reinstated in his old job? investigation.

Page 10 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 In the case of Hassan Nami he was reinstated were invalid and declared that the Tribunal had no to his old job. Working through all the implications power to make orders in respect of the complaints of this complaint to reach a satisfactory conclusion lodged by Mr Metwally. was a very lengthy process. If Hassan’s complaint These two matters raise the question of what is had not been conciliated to his satisfaction he could the point of state governments introducing anti- have had the matter referred to the Equal discrimination laws when such constitutional Opportunity Tribunal. struggles arise in the presence of Commonwealth legislation. The Equal Opportunity Tribunal The Equal Opportunity Tribunal combines a State vs Commonwealth number of full-time and part-time members who are Although uniformity of laws creates stability, selected from the community to represent a experience over the past decade has proven that sensitive understanding of the grounds in the the development of laws in the States has led to legislation. The Equal Opportunity Tribunal can hold a fresh approach at tackling the diversity of issues a public inquiry into disputes. It can call witnesses facing the social change. and have relevant documents produced. It has the Secondly, the States, because they are not power to award damages of up to $40,000 to a bound by the separation of powers principle of the successful complainant, and it can make orders constitution, are able to set up administrative (such as reinstatement in a job). machinery to investigate and conciliate discrimina­ tion grievances together with quasi-judicial Two Critical Cases tribunals which have enforcement powers. The There have been two critical cases which have Commonwealth, on the other hand, must separate centred around the race ground of the legislation. its administrative machinery from judicial determi­ In November 1980, three Aborigines alleged that nation. Hence under the Racial Discrimination Act they were refused bar service at the Royal Tavern a certificate is issued to a complainant whose Hotel in Kempsey because of their race. In complaint can not be conciliated by the December 1980, they wrote to the Counsellor for administrative authority, the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity, Carmel Niland, who is now the Community Relations. The certificate is returnable President of the Anti-Discrimination Board, alleging in a Court of relevant jurisdiction. No complainant that under the N.S.W. Anti-Discrimination Act they has ever pursued their rights in this matter. Some had been unlawfully discriminated against. The argue that this is testimony to the ineffectualness hotel owner, Mr George Viskauskas, claimed that of such a system. because of section 109 of the Constitution (which provides that where a State law is inconsistent with a Commonwealth law, the Commonwealth law prevails) the N.S.W. race discrimination provisions were invalid. CH0MI BIBLIOGRAPHIES In May 1983, the High Court upheld Mr NO. 12 Viskauskas’ claim. However, the Commonwealth government “acted quickly” and amended the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act and preserved the race ground of the State law. TURKEY The Commonwealth government took the view that constructive developments have taken place in some States in the field of Anti-Discrimination law AND ITS PEOPLE and federal measures should not impose upon these developments. The second critical case involved Mr Mohamed compiled & edited Metwally who brought proceedings against the by University of Wollongong under the Anti-Discrimi­ nation Act. In November 1983, the Equal Priscilla Jamieson Opportunity Tribunal upheld Mr Metwally’s complaint of racial discrimination and victimisation and and ordered the University to pay Mr Metwally Kati Sunner damages totalling $46,500. The University appealed and, again, one of the appeal grounds disclosed a question of constitu­ $8.00 tional law. The matter was heard in the High Court who found that the race discrimination provisions Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 11 Therefore, the States can develop stronger and more appropriate laws than the Commonwealth in this area. The Commonwealth and State Attorneys General are currently meeting to resolve the legal Journal of Intercultural Studies problems of conflict between racial discrimination laws. Special one subject issue But can any law effectively offer equality when, historically, it has been shaped from our Anglo- Volume 5 no.3 Celtic base? It is difficult for any law to provide remedies for redressing the levels of inequality in the community. Out Now However, it can be said that the government, in introducing the legislation, clearly indicated its position on equality of opportunity and provided an instrument for change. Thus the onus is on the Anti- MIGRANTS IN THE WORK FORCE Discrimination Board to make itself accessible and $7.50 to make the law comprehensible to people of non- Anglo-Celtic background. Previous issues include: The community relations function of the Board is active in providing a forum for equal opportunity • Bilingual Education Programs in issues to be debated. Staff undertake extensive Australia Today $7-5o programmes in country towns dealing with disputes centred around racial differences and conduct • Ethnic Schools in Australia reseach and put forward reports to the Premier on controversial issues like discrimination against $7.50 Asians on University campuses.

The staff at the Board also reflect the multi­ * ★ ★ cultural nature of the population. It is a mix of Spanish, Italian, Greek, German, Cantonese, Hindu, Mandarin, French and Ukrainian. Send t o RIVER SEINE PUBLICATIONS PTY LTD 35 Gertrude Street Fitzroy 3065 Victoria Australia One-stop Shopping Telephone (03) 417 5152 The most recent human rights initiative in N.S.W. is the co-operative arrangements made with the federal government for the Anti-Discrimination Please send me ..... copies Board to act as an agent for the Human Rights of Commission. n Migrants in the Work Force From August in 1984 the Board will give advice or handle complaints of discrimination and human n Bilingual Education Programs rights violations in New South Wales whether these in Australia Today are covered by the Anti-Discrimination Act, the Sex Discrimination Act, the Racial Discrimination Act □ Ethnic Schools in Australia or the Human Rights Commission Act. For people in New South Wales it means “one-stop shopping” for equal opportunity. Name ...... All of the Acts are administered by the Anti- Discrimination Board. People in N.S.W. seeking Address ...... advice on their rights under any of this legislation should contact the Board at: ...... Postcode ...... Anti-Discrimination Board 11th Floor Cheque $ ...... enclosed. 8-18 Bent Street SYDNEY 2000 Telephone: (02) 231 0922

Page 12 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Community Disputes and their Resolution

Wendy Faulkes

Wendy Faulkes is Director of N.SW. Community Justice Centres

“ We’ve just moved into this house — we It had long been acknowledged that the courts bought it because we believed that this is an were frequently unable to deal effectively with a area that will improve in value a lot, and it’s not range of minor criminal or civil disputes. These too expensive yet. But how can we live next disputes, regarded as “minor” by the law and door to these people? There are far too many maybe to others, assume “major” importance in the living there — it’s only a small house and there lives of those concerned. seem to be so many kids, and grandparents, Some disputes, such as those quoted above, may and noisy teenagers as well. If we complain not have a “ legal” solution, unless one party, or we’re told we're racist — but haven’t we got both, resort to more direct action. Even resulting some rights too?” legal action is unlikely to resolve the basis of the “ What can we do about the people in the flat dispute, dealing instead with the “ incident” that downstairs? They are rude to my mother brought the matter to court. because she doesn’t speak English very well. Often, they return to the court on many Their children and their friends run up and occasions — the same parties to the dispute, and down the stairs, and push her out of the way. basically the same dispute — escalating perhaps They are so naughty and don’t respect old from a dispute over a fence, or harassment, or people. They don’t even respect their own threats, property damage, and ultimately violence. parents. Is there someone that will make them As an alternative to court action, Community be quiet and be polite to my mother? It’s not Justice Centres use mediation as the method of right that she should be afraid to go outside.” dispute resolution. Problems such as this, emanating from different values, different lifestyles, lack of understanding and lack of tolerance, often escalate into bitter disputes confirming and emphasising a “them and us” attitude in the disputants. In New South Wales, Community Justice Centres have now had considerable experience in bringing such disputes to a resolution. Established in 1980 by the then Attorney General, Frank Walker, Q.C., M.P., the three Community Justice Centres are now handling about 2,500 disputes a year. Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 13 What is Mediation? restore the balance and ensure that the disputants can begin to communicate effectively with each Mediation is a voluntary process whereby an other. Community Justice Centres have found on impartial third party aids the parties in reaching several occasions that a long running dispute had their own agreement. The parties must agree to the its origins in misuse of words — when the intervention of the mediator who may be appointed disputants’ intent is sorted out the dispute by an authority, or approached by the parties. The evaporates. mediator has no power to arbitrate or adjudicate. As well as language, the mediators’ At the community Justice Centres two mediators understanding of the cultural background of the are assigned to each mediation session. Ideally, the disputants helps to create a non-threatening mediators will reflect the ages, outlook and cultures atmosphere for disputants. As the mediators are of the disputants. Where possible, mediators who sensitive to the values of the disputants, they can speak the first language of the disputants will be conduct the mediation session in a way to promote used. Working as a team, the mediators will help exploration of all the issues, and all options. the parties to discuss constructively all of the matters of concern to them. The mediators do not Most disputes handled by the Community Justice act as advocates for either party. Centres are between neighbours, but significant numbers of disputes between family members, Each Community Justice Centre has a panel of fellow-workers or people in other types of social and mediators, chosen to be representative of the business relationships have been successfully community in which it is situated. Mediators are resolved through mediation. chosen on the basis of personal suitability rather All mediators complete a special training course than academic qualifications. Amongst the ranks conducted by some of the New South Wales TAFE of mediators are boilermakers, psychologists, Colleges. This training concentrates on “skills teachers, policemen, truck drivers, clerks, company development” rather than aiming at more formal or directors, storemen, interpreters, journalists, academic qualifications. The training includes students, and many more. Ages of the mediators some communicative skills and much practice, range from 18 to 65. Mediators attend the Centres through role-plays, in applying the mediation for mediations, as required. They do not work “full process, without imposing solutions or moral time” as mediators, and are paid a small fee for judgments. their time. The mediation process adopted by the N.S.W. About half the mediators are of ethnic minority Project gives each party a chance to tell his or her, origin and between them, speak about 20 side of the dispute without interruptions. languages. Interpreters are provided by the Centres when necessary, but the use of bi-lingual mediators The mediators will summarise both stories then has provided a service that is usually accessible help the disputants determine what the mediatable to people whose first language is not English. As issues are. Then, taking an issue at a time, the the Centres have recruited bi-lingual full time staff, mediators will help the parties to communicate on intake interviews can be conducted in Italian, Greek each issue. This is a very directive and controlled and Spanish, as well as in English. process, aimed at getting the parties talking to one Many mediations have been conducted wholly another, in a constructive and open manner. in a language other than English, including Greek, The parties are encouraged to express their Italian, Yugoslav, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Spanish feelings, and with effective control of the process and Portuguese. by the mediators, the parties are able to see the Mediations have also been conducted in two and dispute in manageable terms, instead of the three languages, using combinations of interpreters complicated mess it had seemed to them. and bi-lingual mediatofs. Many Australians have Disputants begin to see that their opponents also learned English as adults, often without the beneift had reasons for their behaviour, and are of professional teachers, and are justly proud of encouraged to accept responsibility for their own their ability to understand and be understood; to part in the dispute. The mediators may have a provide them with an interpreter may be insulting. private conference with each party, in the absence However, the mediation may require discussion of of the other party. This conference will often help ideas and concepts not normally raised in the the mediators to determine if there is any point in course of the disputants’ English language continuing the mediation, and helps disputants to conversations. As well, mediations can be stressful come to terms with possibilities for settlement. and emotional — this combination severely Mediators are conscious of the disputants need to disadvantaging the person whose English is “save face”, and perhaps to find a graceful way of functional, but still a second (or third) language. The “backing off”. chance to talk it out with a mediator in their first Any agreement comes from the parties language — perhaps for only a few minutes — can themselves, and is not imposed by the mediators.

Page 14 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 It is important that the mediators help the disputants tribunal or body. This also applies to documents to find a solution that they can live with. sent to, or produced at a Community Justice Centre Agreements are usually written in the ordinary for the purpose of enabling a mediation session to language of the disputants, not in legal-eze, and be arranged. each party gets a copy. Mediators must take an oath or make an The mediators do not decide right or wrong, guilt affirmation of secrecy. or innocence. They do not apportion blame, award Information obtained in connection with a costs, or impose penalties. Community Justice mediation session may be disclosed only in certain Centres do not arbitrate or adjudicate. They do not circumstances. give legal advice, or counselling. The first year of operation of the Centres was Disputants are normally advised to seek legal evaluated by the Law Foundation of New South advice before mediating. The Community Justice Wales. After consideration of their report, the New Centres take the view that a disputant should South Wales Government decided that the project negotiate from a position of knowledge of his or her should continue, and accordingly, appropriate legal rights, rather than ignorance. legislation was enacted. The Community Justice Centres Act 1983 The scheme has widespread support in the cofirms the voluntary nature of mediation and community. Over 2000 disputes were dealt with in provides for confidentiality and privilege. 1984. In about half of these, an agreement was The Act provides: reached. Where a mediation session is arranged, (a) that mediation sessions shall be conducted over 80% result in agreement. C.J.Cs provide a way with as little formality and technicality, and with of resolving disputes that allow the parties to retain as much expedition, as possible; their dignity and self esteem. It is a free service, (b) that the rules of evidence do not apply; and and provides accessible out-of-hours service. It has (c) mediation sessions shall be conducted in the been well-used by most ethnic communities. absence of the public. Community Justice Centres have set a new standard of accessibility of service for people of Attendance at and participation in mediation non-English-speaking origins. sessions are voluntary. A party may withdraw from a mediation session at any time. Any agreement Community Justice Centres are located in reached at or drawn up pursuant to a mediation Bankstown, Surry Hills and Wollongong, with a session is not enforceable in any court or tribunal. localised service provided in Campbelltown, Manly- Warringah, Hornsby, Blacktown, Mt. Druitt and As with judicial proceedings, privileges with respect to defamation suits exists for anything said Pennth' WENDY FAULKES, in mediation. Evidence of anything said or of any Director, Community Justice Centres, admission made in a mediation session is not 17 Randle Street, admissible in any proceedings before any court, SURRY HILLS, 2010.

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Page 16 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Migrant Women in the Women’s Movement

Suvendi Perera Suvendi Perera is a project officer with the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission.

This article originated in the experience of several migrant women at two separate women’s conferences. The first of these was the Third Women and Labour Conference. The conference had the official theme of ‘racism’ and for this reason attracted many migrant women who don’t usually attend such conferences. To quote from a report written later by some of the women present: “Without experience of this conference, we went as individuals, without contacts, networks or group support and found ourselves amongst 1,700 participants. We weren’t participating as official representatives and had not prepared any goals. We later recognised we had all assumed we would be passive learners. The programme in fact did not have a theme of racism. There were a few workshops on Aboriginal or immigrant women’s issues (separately!). . . . Workshops on more general topics made no reference to the theme — and when we tried to raise it through questions it was either dismissed or not answered. Those of us who had gone as individuals were conscious of strong feelings of alienation, loneliness and inadequacy.”1 The women were worried not only by the fact that racism, which had been publicised as the theme, was barely touched upon, but also that the few separate sessions dealing with the subject tended to be non-analytical, anecdotal and generally of the “speak-out” variety. (It is outside the scope of this article to comment on the sessions on Aboriginal women’s issues, but it is relevant to the general argument to describe two of those which I attended. In one, a white woman discussed the use she had made of aboriginal stories in her writing. She had never discussed these with any aborigine and discovered only at the conference that she had

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 17 inadvertently used sacred material in her work. In Ways to organise conferences on these another, a group of non-aboriginal discussion- issues. leaders preached the need for white people to Support for victims of racism and fighting de-colonise their minds, implying that people had racist groups. only to start being nicer to aboriginals to end Equal opportunity and education for girls racism. Both these sessions were vigorously from NESB. criticised by aboriginal women present.) A NESB perspective on Australian feminism. Sexism within Ethnic Affairs policies and The growing dissatisfaction of many of the programmes. migrant women at the way the conference was Strategies for getting unions to take up developing culminated in a session in which the industrial issues concerning migrant women. anecdotal and descriptive was once again sub­ The role of migrant women in the colonisation stituted for critical discussion. That evening, a of Australia. group of about 12 women who had attended the last few sessions decided to boycott the “Multicultural In spite of our repeated reminders to one another Fiesta” which had been organised for us and had that the meeting had been called to form strategies dinner together to discuss the anger we all felt at which would make the conference (and ultimately the way the conference had been organised. the entire women’s movement) more responsive to our needs, the first meeting didn’t achieve very The position we started from was one of largely much more than resolutions calling on the govern­ unfocussed dissatisfaction. We had come to the ment to pass legislation on incitement to racial conference unorganised and in ones and twos, hatred, and to continue to give priority to family expecting to find things done for us. What we reunion-based migration. What the meeting did do, discovered was that we had to generate what we however, was give a tangible indication of the were looking for ourselves and present it to the massive dissatisfaction at the way the conference larger body of women at the conference. One thing had been organised. This gave us enough support we were all clear on was that we wanted no more to approach the conference organisers and request segregated sessions in which we talked generally a session on feminism and racism which would be to one another about migrant women while the arranged and publicised by them and have behind tough thinking and planning went on elsewhere. We it their invitation for all conference participants to wanted the acknowledgement of all the women at attend. the conference that racism was everyone’s issue, one we should all address together as feminists. At the end of the evening several of the women Mediterranean Women in who had previously said they were going home the next day decided they wanted to stay. We were still Australia unclear about details but we now knew what we wanted: to make the body of the conference confront racism and the role of migrant women in the women’s movement. The next day, we organised a meeting publicised Gill Bottomley by word of mouth. The response was tremendous on the part of both migrant and non-migrant women, and generated an energy that none of us had expected. An unavoidable consequence of this excitement was that soqie confusion ensued.2 The Multicultural Australia Paper No. 35 agenda proposed by the meeting is interesting for this reason: it expresses a sense of release from the accumulated tensions of the last two days, the ability to speak at last about the multitude of ideas on racism and feminism which we had all felt were 3.00 so inadequately dealty with before. Among the $ topics proposed for discussion were: A feminist perspective on Racism and the Immigration debate. Empowering migrant women. Report on immigrant, Black third-World CHOMI Women’s Reports/Conferences/Speakouts. 133 Church St., Richmond Vic 3121 Racism in the women’s movement.

Page 18 — Migration Action Voi. VII No. 3 1985 The second meeting started to address, for the cries of “the same old faces” as we realised that first time, the issue of racism in the women’s once more we were at a special “migrant women’s” movement, the position of migrant and aboriginal workshop while the real life of the conference was women in the movement, whether we were really happening elsewhere. Brisbane had taught us to talking about separate movements based on our recognise the signs, but we hadn’t yet learned the ethnic and class divisions, and in what ways lessons of arriving organised, knowing enough to migrant women could stop being invisible in the boycott special “migrant women’s” events and women’s movement as a whole. going to mainstream sessions. Equally importantly, the migrant women who had come to the conference singly began to find the The second day of the conference proved even support they needed among other women inter­ more depressing. One of the workshops was co­ ested in migrant issues. One heard comments like, facilitated by a migrant woman who had obviously “ I’ve seen you at ethnic groups’ meetings but I didn’t been co-opted at the last moment without prior know you were a feminist”. Given the marginal­ expertise in the field or time to prepare on the isation of women’s issues within ethnic affairs subject. Much of the information given out at the generally, this second discovery seems a workshop was clearly wrong or misguided. As a particularly significant one for migrant women. result, those of us who attended this workshop wasted time arguing and correcting rather than Two important developments came out of this discussing strategies on an issue of great impromptu session at the Women and Labour importance to migrant women. Others of us, who Conference. The first was the decision to establish had attended workshops on mainstream issues a national network of women interested in migrant such as trade unions, reported more success, but women’s issues.3 It was decided at the same time again the mood was one of depression: we felt we to seek funding for a conference on migrant hadn’t had the opportunity to participate as we women's issues, which could explore some of the wanted to, and this time we had been unable to topics raised earlier, as well as others relevant to change things ourselves. migrant women, in greater depth. The initiatives taken by migrant women at the Our experience at these conferences, the Women and Labour Conference generated not only questions generated there and, in their wake, in our an interest within the larger women’s movement,'1 own places of work need careful discussion. Are but also an excitement which helped sustain the there some feminist issues which are less relevant informal links which formed the background for our to migrant women? Do migrant women need to meeting at a second women’s conference, the establish priorities which put “ basic” issues such “ Margin to Mainstream” Conference on Women as their right to a safe working environment, or and Employment in Melbourne. proper health information, before what are Unlike the Women and Labour Conference, sometimes perceived as “luxury” issues such as which attracted participants from the whole sexuality or gender stereotyping? Are some spectrum of the women’s movement, the Women common feminist goals inappropriate for migrant and Employment Conference was carefully women? Do migrant women’s issues exist structured, designed to achieve certain ends and separately from migrant men’s issues? Is the double directed towards a specific audience. The aim of oppression of migrant women — both as women the conference was to link women’s present under­ and migrants — to be struggled against and un-employment to current economic, industrial concurrently or in some sequence? If the former, and education policies and suggest strategies by in what ways can the larger women’s movement be which these structural barriers could be removed. looked to for strength and support for migrant women seeking equal participation in the ethnic Again unlike the WLC, this conference attracted affairs area? If a sequence is to be established, large numbers of men, most of them non-migrants, what are its priorities? Finally, do migrant women and — a lot of the participants felt — too many of need to get involved in the theory as well as the them in leading roles. There were far fewer migrant practice of feminism? Explore the boundaries and women than at the WLC and hardly any aboriginals the limitations of Anglo-Australian feminism, and try at all. In short, attendance was fairly reflective to define their own? of existing realities, with the exception that Anglo- Australian women in managerial and union The ripples from the Women and Labour positions were, by nature of the subject, dispro­ Conference can already be felt. The increased portionately represented. participation of women of non-English-speaking The migrant women at the conference dis­ background in the larger women’s movement raises covered one another when they turned up, all 8 or interesting questions for the movement itself, e.g., 10 of them, at a workshop on migrant status. in an article on the WLC the Melbourne feminist Pleased we were to see one another, there were journal Scarlet Woman asked — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 19 The confusion that has been provoked by the The issues involved are not simple, and need to theme of racism at a feminist conference points be debated by migrant women’s and mainstream to a question that we should address ourselves feminist groups not just among themselves but also to: that is, how well does feminist theory jointly. The participation of women of non-English- understand racism and the concerns of black speaking background will also involve for them and migrant women? . . . increased attention to theory and analysis. This (Do w e ). . . need . . . some understanding of might seem, at first, a less essential need, given the structural role played by racism and sexism the multitude of immediate issues demanding their in our society? What are the connections attention, the struggles for the most basic of rights between racism and sexism and between these in which most migrant women are involved. Such and capital? What can white feminists and black a division between priorities would however, be activists learn from each other’s experiences? misguided, for it is only when migrant women start These are difficult questions. At the conference writing their own papers, critically reviewing work several black women said their current priority which has already been done, contributing in their lies with their own community and not with own right to policy and planning reviews, that their forming alliances with white feminists. Some issues will begin to receive the attention they need. even said that they were not oppressed by black men. For their part, white feminists need to deal References with the question of racism carefully. Simply 1. Women and Labour Conference, Brisbane, 1984 — A brief adding racism to the feminist agenda is not account — Nada, Clarita, Jenny, Suvendi — 21/8/1984. enough . . . 2. One woman was actually seen turning away Anglo-women from the meeting, and indefensible action which, of course, Having racism as the theme has . . . brought was quite contrary to the purpose for which the meeting was to our attention some important questions about called. how we deal with racism, both in feminist theory 3. For more information contact Frederika Steen, Dept, of and practice.5 Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Canberra (062) 64 2274. Membership is open not only to migrant but to all women interested in migrant women's issues. 4. See, for example, Scarlet Women, Spring 1984, No. 19, pp. 34-35. 5. Louise Johnson, Dianne Otto, Adrian Howe, Alison Ravenscroft “ Raising Racism” — 4th Women and Labour Conference in Scarlet Woman, op. cit.

Available from ETHNICITY, CLASS AND CHOMI GENDER 133 Church St., IN AUSTRALIA Richmond Vic 3121

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Ethnicity, Class and Gender in Australia is a major study of the impact of immigration on Australian society, and of the fidymentation that has developed along ethnic, class and gender lines. Rather than thumbnail sketches of ethnic groups or celebrations of multiculturalism, it offers detailed critiques of policy and practice, backed up by evidence from the experiences and research of the authors This book confronts issues crucial to all Australians, the increasing fragmentation of the workforce: the class, gender and origin-based inequalities present in an egalitarian' country: and the ideologies, from racism to multiculturalism, designed to mask these inequalities The authors also point to evidence of growing resistance to the status quo, and strategies for working towards a more genuine equality - to rfore positive educa­ tion programmes, to political action at the workplace and beyond. The aim is to broaden readers' understanding of Australian society by including those who are so often omitted from analysis of that society Ethnicity, Class and Gender in Australia is the culmination of the contributors' years of research, teaching and political action The editors have written and HOMI published widely in the area of race, class and social change, Gill Bottomley’s most CLEARING HOUSE ON recent book being her coedited The Family in the Modern World (1983) and Marie MIGRATION de Lepervanche’s Indians in a White Australia. ISSUES

Page 20 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Ethno-specific and Community Services

The Victorian Ethnic Affairs Commission has also been considering the relationships of ethnic services to community services. A special task force, chaired by Walter Lippmann, recently presented the following report.

Introduction Community Services Given the social and cultural diversity of the Services available to the general community population of Australia, a monocultural approach must be based upon these principles. They must to community services is no longer appropriate or ensure that they are accessible to all sections of adequate. This applies in the areas of education, the community, that they develop capacity to health, welfare, employment, housing or legal assess the needs of ethnic minorities and that they services and the arts at the national, state, local have the capabilities to respond to those needs. government, and community level. This includes development of strategies such as the creation of a range of consultative mechanisms; Currently, government and community services utilisation of professional interpreting and trans­ — sometimes referred to as “mainstream” services lating services; creation of processes to develop (i.e. universal services designed to serve the sensitivity on the part of public contact staff, general community), tend to service the English- managers and policy-makers. speaking linguistic and cultural majority and fail to cater for numerically and socially significant Specialist units/programmes equipped to focus sections of the Australian population, i.e. members on the ethnic dimension of a general service of ethnic minority groups. department or organisation have an important role to play. They should be established and designed To serve Australian society in the next decades, to ensure that public sector programmes and “ mainstream” services must be planned as services develop their capacity to meet the needs services for the community as a whole (including on an equitable basis, of a population with diverse ethnic minorities), sensitive to the diversity of the cultural-linguistic background. This should not be Australian population and appropriate to adequately seen as an “ethnic problem” ; rather it must be serve the needs of such a population. recognised that given the ethnic component of the Australian population, ethnic issues are now Principles integral to Australian social life and services. Principles which should be accepted as basic to Australian community services are:— Awareness of cultural diversity and issues arising therefrom must be part of the basic knowledge of 1. The prime responsibility of Government is to all who serve in positions of contact with the public. ensure availability of adequate and appropriate In this connection it is important not only to develop services to meet the needs of all residents a sensitivity to cultural factors shaping the 2. Services must ensure equity and access, and expectations and responses of clients from non- be appropriate to the needs and lifestyle of all English-speaking backgrounds but also to residents recognise that cultural factors shape the approaches of Australian-born service deliverers. 3. Service providers should recognize the democratic right to self-determination for all There should be encouragement for employment residents, and their mutual interests in a of qualified bi-lingual public contact staff with pluralist society, including the rights of minority adequate understanding of the cultural and social groups and organisations to maintain and serve moves and attitudes of their clientele. Where such the special interests of their group facilities are provided by service deliverers, ethnic 4. In the delivery of services, Governments and groups and their organisations should be encour­ a wide range of community services geared to aged and (where warranted) assisted to inform their special needs and interests should supplement respective communities of the nature and function and complement each other. of these facilities and how these may be accessed.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 21 Given that there are unlikely to be sufficient Definition of Ethnicity resources to provide the required range of services Based on a significant recent legal definition1 an for every individual ethnic community, government “ethnic group” is described as one which regards departments must establish ongoing consultation, itself, and is regarded by others, as a distinct co-operation and, where appropriate, support for community by virtue of a shared history, a cultural relevant ethnic groups which provide facilities and tradition, possibly sharing a common language or resources for their community through their own religion, resulting in it being a specific group within ethnically based organisation. Thus, through mutual a larger community. support a more comprehensive range of services Given the foregoing it can be seen that ethnicity can be provided. is not merely a question of birthplace or of Most important, however, is that service planners language. It is rather one of identification and the and providers be sufficiently sensitive to be able extent to which a person’s cultural background to identify where and how cultural factors may andfor pre-migration experience remain relevant impinge upon service delivery, and thus be able to and significant to his/her outlook, attitudes and way develop policies and procedures, flexible enough of life. Many Australian-born as well as overseas to ensure that cultural and language factors do not born people retain strong attachment ot the become barriers to access to appropriate services. cultural, religious and language traditions which A multitude of special community services and they consider as essential and valued elements of interests are readily accepted as integral to the their personality. Thus consideration of “ethnic” structure of government and community services issues involves needs of a range of people — not in Australia’s pluralistic society. Church-sponsored only immigrants from other countries. institutions as well as organisations sponsored by a wide range of special interest groups such as Ethno-specific Services country women, returned soldiers, unions, are Ethno-specific services and programmes have recognised and supported as important advisers been developed by many communities in a wide and service providers. They cater to the specific variety of fields. Their emergence was a response needs of their diverse constituencies and in doing to the need felt for such structures within the com­ so complement and/or supplement government munities. The right to such services is embedded services. Their existence provides a desirable in the governmental and political party policies of element of choice in the type of services available. cultural pluralism which are traditional in Australia Also, traditionally, in the Victorian and Australian and have in previous generations led to the estab­ context, the responsibility for the formulation of lishment of schools, institutions and organisations policies and delivery of services has been shared by a wide variety of diverse community interest between community-based groups and the various groups. levels of goverment — federal, state and local. Ethno-specific services such as provided by a Ethnically-based organisations offer comparable Greek Welfare Society or Turkish Cultural support in the provision of appropriate services to Association, an Aboriginal Advancement League or sections of the Australian public. These a Jewish Welfare Society are as much part of organisations must equally be involved in planning Australian community services as are organisations and delivery of services. such as the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, the Mission of St. James and St. John, the Salvation Army, Country Women’s Association. They must be accepted and supported on a similar basis. They have a right to equal access to government funding where programmes are designed for provision of services from a community base. Ethnically-based organisations are also important.as information, resource and referral centres for government and community organisa­ tions not yet adequately equipped to serve Australia’s multicultural population. It is envisaged that this complementary role will be required for some time to come. Ethnic community services, however, represent an ongong aspect of Australian community services as people from various ethnic backgrounds will continue to identify with their own group and feel most comfortable/confident in obtaining services/ advice from within that community.

Page 22 Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Relationship of Ethno-specific Services to Where human service departments, such as the Government Services Health Commission, Community Services The role of ethnic specific agencies is Departments and Education Department provides particularly relevant having regard to the current grants to community agencies to deliver services, trend towards increased localisation of community then ethno-specific services should be encouraged. services through Local Government as envisaged Such departments should ensure that their grants by the Victorian Human Services Programme programme attracts suitable ethnic applicants Report. (through community education and multi-lingual Wherever local governments are able to publicity programmes). Assessments, reviews and incorporate the specialist dimension in their work, evaluation of programmes thus funded should be this is desirable. Planning of services should undertaken by departmental staff who are able to account for requirements for bi-lingual staff, communicate effectively with community leaders language resources, multi-lingual publicity and from different ethnic backgrounds. Policy develop­ consultation with local ethnic communities. It ment and review concerning grants programmes seems desirable for all local governments where should occur through formal consultation with there are large concentrations of ethnic minorities enthic community groups, so that special needs to establish formal consultative mechanisms with can be accommodated as much as possible. those communities in order to ensure that their needs are recognised and the effectiveness of Equally, such departments should ensure that services monitored. However, it is essential that all their own services are delivered on the basis of service agencies including local governments “access and equity” discussed previously. recognise that minorities, whilst integrating to a Appropriate ongoing consultative mechanisms certain extent, also retain their own cultural pattern should be established to ensure that ethnic com­ of life. Therefore, sometimes specialist provision of munities can make known their special needs and service is required and should be fostered where: proposals for meeting those needs, and to assist — there are significant numbers of clients and the departments in developing their capacities to potential clients from a specific minority group; provide appropriate services. — where there is an existing or potentially viable ethno-specific agency; Partnership It is neither possible nor feasible for all ethnic — where that agency is relevant to the community communities to cater for their own special needs, to be served and has the capacity to develop as many are geographically dispersed, under­ and administer the proposed services. developed organisationally and lacking financial It must be recognised that many ethnic and manpower resources. Thus Government has communities are scattered geographically. Thus a role to play in facilitating the development of client populations and potential bi-lingual service organisations in such communities andfor in providers do not always appear in significant providing special services for the smaller, numbers within Local Government boundaries. particularly disadvantaged groups. Thus the need for a regional approach by local governments must be considered. It is essential that a full and equitable partnership Ethno-specific programmes — such as those in exist between all service providers in Australia. the fields of services to the aged, psychiatric Government services and community organisations services, child care, employment initiatives, — including those geared to serve the various schools, women’s refuges, cultural and language ethnic sectors — should complement each other maintenance programmes, arts, crafts and in providing services geared to serve the Australian literature, social and family counselling, community as a whole. They can only effectively undoubtedly have a long-term future as integral provide such service on the basis of active co­ parts of Australia’s community services. They, along operation and mutual support. with other special interest community organisa­ tions, should receive funding under the various government funding programmes. Their viability on Reference a broad geographic basis needs to be acknow­ 1. Extracted from the decision of the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords in the case of Mandle v. Lee ledged and undue fragmentation of ethno-specific given on 24th March, 1983 and quoted in Patterns of services should be avoided. Prejudice, Vol. 17, No. 2, April, 1983.

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Page 24 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Assurances of Support: Update

The last issue of Migration Action reported on Support Scheme either abolished or lessened to a changes in policy on Assurances of Support. Here two year time period. It was the view of the Centre the Welfare Rights Centre, which has been heading that the Department of Social Security had been the campaign for change, reports on the present acting unlawfully in its administration of the picture. Scheme, by taking invalid Assurances into account when assessing a special benefit application and by seeking to recover money from the guarantor The Welfare Rights Centre in Sydney was even though the Assurance had been invalid. established in 1983 to provide independent advice to people who have social security problems. The Centre employs both legal workers and welfare workers, to assist people when they want to challenge decisions of the Department of Social Security (D.S.S.). As well as providing direct assist­ ance to people with social security problems, the Centre is interested to challenge unfair practices and procedures of the Department, and aspects of the law. One issue that the Centre has taken up over the last twelve months concerns the social security entitlement of elderly migrants who have been sponsored to Australia under the Assurance of Support Scheme. This scheme requires that certain elderly migrants must be sponsored by a guarantor (most often a son or daughter), who signs an Assurance stating that he or she will support the elderly person for a period of 10 years. If a guarantor becomes unable or unwilling to provide support, the migrants can apply for a Special Benefit from D.S.S. However, until recently this benefit was only granted on the basis of the guarantor passing a strict income test, and any special benefit paid was considered a debt to the In July 1984, the Department of Social Security, Commonwealth and was repayable by the issued new guidelines to its offices relating to guarantor. Assurances of Support. These guidelines were an The Welfare Rights Centre became concerned attempt to ensure that the scheme operated in a about this issue after many ethnic welfare workers legal manner, and recognised that Assurances and elderly migrants contacted the Centre to could in fact become invalid before the ‘nominated’ complain about the difficulties they experienced in ten year period. receiving the special benefit. As well, several The major improvement that these guidelines guarantors contacted the Centre after the Depart­ introduced was separating the Assurance of ment had requested them to repay the special Support from the processing of an application for benefit paid to their relatives. special benefit. No longer do elderly migrants have Through the Freedom of Information Act, the to wait up to 12 months to have their claim pro­ Centre obtained documents indicating that the cessed while the essence of the Assurance is Government received legal advice in 1977 pointing investigated. The applicant should have his or her out the doubtful legal validity of the Assurance after claim processed quickly on the basis of hardship. the sponsored person had become absorbed into Once this has occurred, investigations should the community. On the basis of this information the commence to ascertain whether the Assurance is Centre has been conducting both a legal and a valid or not. If it is still valid then a debt will be owing political campaign to have the Assurance of and the guarantor will be advised.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 25 Despite the significant improvements that the the one hand, constitutionally valid and, on the new guidelines brought, it also brought several other hand sufficiently clear and comprehensive to retrograde steps and left many problems meet the needs of both the Departments of unresolved. The new guidelines instituted a new Immigration, and Social Security and members of method for assessing the rate of special benefit the public. paid. The Department now looks at the applicants The Centre has been lobbying both these basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, medical departments and Minister involved to institute a expenses, etc., and if any of these needs are being time limit concerning Assurances of two year met (and in most cases they are), then the duration. The two year time limit is in line with the Department reduces the benefit paid accordingly. recent changes to the Citizenship Act, whereby a Thus many applicants have the benefit reduced by person can apply for citizenship after two years 2/3rds on the basis that the person they are living permanent resident status in Australia. with is supplying food and shelter, notwithstanding the hardship that may be encountered by the The Centre has also been pressing the Govern­ person in order to support the elderly migrants. ment to: The issue concerning whether the Assurance is • accept that citizenship constitutes absorp­ still valid or whether it has lapsed has also tion into the community, and that 2-3 years remained unresolved. Assurances signed prior to residence should be regarded as constitut­ 2nd April 1984, lapse once the assured person ing absorption unless there are exceptional becomes “absorbed into the community”. The reasons to the contrary; and criteria for determining “absorption into the • disregard the provision of free board and community" have not been developed clearly, and lodging when calculating special benefit, we believe that any such criteria will probably be at least where the provider is receiving a incapable of formulation in a manner which is on full-rate pension or benefit.

p H O M I MEDIA WATCH-THE PRESS

CHOMI's unique collection of newspaper clippings on all aspects of the migration and refugee experience in Australia has now been catalogued and bound. Clippings date from 1969 and cover many topics including: • Migrants and the Law • Immigration policy • Multiculturalism • Ethnic Groups in Australia including Indo-Chinese, Greeks, Italians, Jews • Refugees • Migrants and Politics CHOMI plans to publish selected and annotated news clippings on particular topics. The first of these is now available: B385 MIGRANTWOMEN: PRESS VIEWS, 1969-^83. Price: $4.00

STOP PRESS Part of this unique collection is available on microfiche now: Multiculturalism in Australia 1972-83 Approximately 250 items on 4 microfiche Complete Set for $200.00 Further inquiries to the librarian on (03) 428 4948

Page 26 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Interview: Joe Lo Bianco

Joe Lo Bianco is Chairman of the Victorian Ministerial Advisory Committee for Migrant and Multi-cultural Education.

Migration Action spoke with Joe about the trends, changes and developments that are taking place in Multicultural Education.

Would you say there have been any changes in direction of Multicultural Education in the last couple of years? Yes, there have been changes. What MACMME is trying to do is to identify changes in education generally and insert into these educatioal changes, multicultural perspectives. For example at present there is a lot of emphasis on computer technology in schools, on equality for girls in education, and on participation of parents in democratic decision making in schools. Each one of these areas must take account of cultural pluralism, of diversity in the community, of ‘migrancy’ and of multiculturalism generally. We’re trying to make sure that happens in Victoria, and I think it’s being reflected in other places around the country. Is this a case of trying to do something about disadvantage? Not this alone. Multiculturalism is not about disadvantage alone. It’s about a whole lot of changes in education which apply to all schools and all students. I think Victoria is in the forefront in this area as it is at the moment, and in educational innovation generally. As far^as devolution of decision-making responsibilities to school communities goes, no State has gone as far as Victoria in giving school communities responsibility for determining curriculum policy for schools, or in allowing school communities to participate in selecting principals. These are the sort of general changes which I am sure will eventually be repeated throughout Australia. These are the sort of general changes that are going to take place regardless of what ethnic minority groups and immigrants do. I’m saying that unless we insert our own particular views and values into these general changes then they’ll take place without any acknowledgement of the cultural pluralism of our society. Within these changes there are particular areas that are being focussed on as areas of disadvantage, like the education of girls, like social equity outcomes generally. In these areas there are a particular subset of problems that are quite extreme which have traditionally been neglected. One of these is obviously migrant girls. That doesn’t mean that migrant girls are necessarily disadvantaged by their migrancy. What it does mean is that equality for those girls means taking account of a whole lot of cultural and class perspectives as well as the fact that girls and women are generally disadvantaged in our society.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 27 What difference has the change of Government at actually getting involved in general changes and insisting the Federal level made? that in those areas a multicultural perspective must be included, unless you actively promote the teaching of There are a whole lot of things in the pipeline which languages other than English and involve parents, then will be very positive in the end. For example we’ve been I don’t think you’re leading to change because you’re consulted on proposed increases in the Schools always ghettoised. Commission Multicultural Education Programme, in the That’s the problem I see with emphasis on a culture Ethnic Schools programme of the Schools Commission without language approach but it’s a question of States, and the fact that in special programmes like the girls area rights, and each State would defend its priorities. Each some emphasis will be given to the special situation of would believe their emphasis is right just the way that migrant girls. The establishment of the National Advisory I believe that our emphasis is right. and Co-ordinating Committee on Multicultural Education, The guidelines put down by the Commonwealth are now almost one year old will certainly make its presence very broad so many different approaches can be taken. felt during 1985. It is busily contributing to reviews and Each State Committee is appointed by the State Minister evaluations of programmes, it is about to embark on of Education. community education initiatives, to release several The Victorian Committee is different from those in other discussion papers and do some major work on early States as it’s a larger Committee and there are far fewer childhood development education issues as they affect people on it from the Education department in proportion ethnic minorities in Australia. It is certainly true that a to the number of community representatives. In Victoria broad range of groups in the community are being asked we have a majority on the Committee from ethnic their opinion, and that includes migrant and ethnic community organisations, tertiary institutions, teacher community organisations in a way they weren’t before. unions, parents groups and other organisations and the I don’t think it’s gone anywhere near far enough, nor has committee is chaired by a non-Departmental person. it been formalised in any real way, but I think the National Of course in each State Ministers have their own Advisory and Co-ordinating Committee will make that policies. In Victoria there’s been an input into the political happen. process from a broad range of people which has meant There are certain major areas I’m dissatisfied with that the State has responded very well to issues of such as the ones the Victorian State Board of Education Multicultural Education. It must be remembered that in has been dealing with, for example the training of making these comments I know Victoria far better than community language teachers. I don’t think we’re ever the other States. going to get any major changes in schools until we get The difference between MACMME and VACMME (the people coming out of the pipeline of teacher training who committee which was its predecessor), is that MACMME are generalist trained primary and secondary school is very much more policy oriented. When VACMME was teachers with specialization in languages other than reviewed and abolished it was decided to separate the English and some methodology in multicultural studies. money dispersal function from the policy development When those people start coming into the system then function. It was believed that VACMME had done a great they will produce their own momentum for change. deal of money granting but insufficient policy The Victorian State Board has put to the Minister of development. So it was separated into a Ministerial Policy Education a comprehensive policy on the training of Committee and a Multicultural Grants Committee. That language teachers which has been adopted by the State structure proved to be unworkable and now they’ve been government and put to the State Colleges for combined into the MACMME. But because of the implementation. We’ve gone even further and described existence of the Policy Committee for about a year before courses for upgrading and recognising overseas this most recent change, the policy function was well in qualifications. All this needs funding from the train. We've got staff in that area and the Committee is Commonwealth government to happen. The Post used to focusing on policy development. As I said before Secondary Education Commission has taken those it’s used to looking at education generally and trying to initiatives a lot further with the establishment of a group see what input we can have. This is a totally different to work out a plan on the training of teachers of languages focus. Now we concentrate on policy development, other than English. This working group has produced a initiate programmes to go with these developments and rather detailed final report. also still give grants on the basis of submissions from How do the States vary in what they do with their schools and other groups. Commonwealth Funds? What projects is MACMME involved in that reflect Each State has a Migrant and Multicultural Education the major areas of policy development? Committee which oversees the distribution of the Commonwealth Multicultural Education Programme We have published annotated bibliographies in both funds. But although the States get money under the same the migrant girls and the parent participation areas. These guidelines they use their funds quite differently. For will be distributed nationally. They collect, analyse and example, in at least three States they don’t actively comment on important research in those areas. So promote the teaching of community languages. Largely, people working in those areas now have a theoretical the funds are used for multiculturalism in the curriculum, base to start from. We’ve employed an officer in each home/school liaison, ethnic schools and liaison with day of these areas. We have a major project on the role and schools. I don’t think any of these things are unimportant status of ethnic schools due for completion soon and also but I also don’t think that they necessarily lead to major a shared project with the State Board of Education on long term change. Unless you’re inserting things into the Languages other than English and their role in the so called “ normal” programmes of schools, unless you’re curriculum.

Page 28 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 In the parent participation project we’re also employing What MACMME has done is to initiate projects as well information officers in a range of languages. What they’re as just respond to what schools and other people put up. doing is to monitor the changes in giving school councils That's why we’ve chosen the migrant girls and parent the responsibility for curriculum policy and, in some participation areas, because we’ve been able to identify cases, input into selection of principals of schools. by ourselves the general changes in education that need They’re going to monitor the participation of non-English to be addressed from a multicultural perspective. It’s speaking parents, the effect that that has, and where it important to respond to what schools say but we also does and doesn’t occur. They’re going to identify areas have to initiate things which keep us in the forefront of of need that parents have for written information and what’s happening. We’ve changed from a pure we’ve provided a budget for translating and disseminating submission model of funding to a combination of that information. We’ve also designed an English for submission and initiation model, we’re now also trying Special Purposes course for parent involvement on to reduce significantly the work involved in submissions School Councils. That involves setting up training by introducing an expression of interest phase from which programmes which have been trialled in Brunswick and only successful candidates will be invited to write up full Footscray with some success and some problems. These submissions. There are many areas that we could be part programmes involve helping parents with the particular of, say, computers in education. What does the language and skills needed for participating in School application of computers to schooling say about the way Councils. children learn? There’s something about being bilingual, or being a learner of English as a second language which Complex skills and knowledge need to be learned and means that computer assisted learning has a special understood if parents are to be empowered to participate. application for you. We need still to consider the place and viability of such With the State funds which are funds for ethnic schools courses. we’ve changed somewhat from the previous approach. Instead of giving the money straight to ethnic schools what we’ve said is: as the State has certain principles How is Migrant and Multicultural Education and policies in education, e.g. it says that corporal funded? punishment it out, that there must be equal opportunity The Committee I chair, the Ministerial Advisory for girls, that certain physical conditions apply in terms Committee on Migrant and Multicultural Education, of when you teach and how you teach, we’re moving (MACMME) receives funding from two sources. The towards saying that if these principles and policies are Commonwealth Multicultural Education Programme is the alright for the rest of the school system then they’re major source of funds. That's nearly 1 'A million dollars alright for students in ethnic schools as well. So what for Victoria. Then it receives some money tagged for we’re going to do is to apply money in these areas rather Ethnic Schools from the State Government. In the past than just on a per capita basis. We’ll provide tied grants the Commonwealth money in Victoria went totally to to encourage ethnic schools in these areas. We hope to schools. Funding was based on responding to provide in-service education which involves learning submissions and the money went to schools that principles based on the way kids learn rather than the submitted for programmes usually involving home/school way teachers teach. So we’re trying to apply general liaison and community relations. policies and principles to ethnic schools.

"THESE CAYS MANY GROUPS of- PEOPLE^ An d individuals , a r e a b l e T o o b t a in GeAtfTS PROM -TMf. FEC6EAL GcnEEWNOTT. Hovoevtc, f ir s t l y T h e y have - io a t e V Pr o b l e m s .

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Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 29 Another really important thing is that the Victorian State development and into practice at all levels of schooling Government has taken a major role in providing in Victoria and perhaps, throughout Australia. community language teachers in primary schools. We’ve The Bibliography already produced shows that there now got 130. These are separately funded out of State are a lot of misconceptions about education and migrant government funds. In New South Wales I believe they girls, and the expectations of migrant parents about their have about 70 community language teachers. In Victoria daughters’ future occupations. Migrant parents have there are the prospects of getting more next year. certain expectations of jobs for their daughters, not MACMME has been involved in distributing these because they are migrants but because their own teachers, controlling the quality of programmes, selecting experience of work is often so awful. the teachers and schools; and designing and resourcing They don’t want the same for their daughter, but often programmes. We've given a grant from our they can’t see anything else, possibly because never in Commonwealth funds for materials purchase. What we’re their family history has anyone ever become, for example, trying to do is to make sure that these programmes are a doctor. They often have little awareness about the successful. possibilities for their daughters, or the technological Because MACMME has taken on an initiating role for threats to many traditionally female occupations. projects we were able to fund the Combating Prejudice There are some semi-racist elements in the way in Schools Project that EMC co-produced. This failed to judgements are made about migrant parents’ views of get funded under the Projects of National Significance their daughters. I hope we can do justice to both the girls Programme of the Schools Commission. We became and to their parents. aware of it, and requested that it be put to us for Most migrants come from poor backgrounds and many consideration. Without MACMME that project would of their attitudes are more related to social class, than never have happened. But because we decided to seek to culture or the fact of being a migrant. The whole area out and fund things ourselves this very valuable project is far too complex for the simplistic views that are often is now under way. It’s certainly very important as held. prejudice is increasingly a big problem in schools. We The ethnic schools project is exploring the role and have undertaken initiatives in other areas such as in the status of after hours schooling in the whole spectrum of Shepparton area in conjunction with Child Migrant educational structures and provisions. In addition to this Education Services. project there are several curriculum materials development projects as well. On what basis are Commonwealth Funds to States for Multicultural Education distributed? They are distributed to each State on a per capita basis. I think this is inadequate as a criterion. Another parent participation project that we’ve funded is the Brunswick/Coburg State Schools Parents’ Council which looks at setting up a support structure for parents who want to get involved in determining and influencing the curriculum of schools. This is a district collection of 27 schools. The project supports a staff, a back up service, a translation service, a training programme and skills development for all those parents. To really be able to handle the jargon, acronyms, procedures means migrant parents having a lot of confidence. We have a Parent Participation Project Officer co-ordinating all these aspects and now at the end of 12 months she is writing up all the developments. ETHNIC STUDIES - A BASE PAPER I haven’t mentioned them all here. Our Migrant Girls Project is innovative and exciting too. edited by P. W. MATTHEWS We’re trying to say that all over the place there is emphasis on equal opportunity in education for girls. We support that but not all girls are the same. Part I An Australian Ethnic Identity There are girls who have particular problems because by P. W. Matthews, N. Hart and H. Hirakis of their background or particular potential because of their background. Into the debate on equal opportunity for girls we’ve got to insert certain cultural considerations Part II Curriculum Consequences: a Framework for which are missing now. The Project Officer we have Action by P. W. Matthews, H. Hirakis and employed is actually teaching in a number of schools, N. Hart. working with groups of girls to explore their views on education and work. She is talking to their parents, trying to see if schools treat them any differently, and collecting Multicultural Australia Paper No 39 their whole experience of education to see what we can learn from it. What are the differences between being a Greek-Australian girl and going to school from being $5.00 an Anglo-Australian girl. In exploring this area we hope to come up with recommendations to feed into policy

Page 30 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 All this must be new and exciting for you liaison with the Victorian Aboriginal Education personally Consultative Group (VAECG). There is an important area I have found the general educational areas fascinating. of overlap with Aboriginal education in regard to how Coming from an ethnic background and being involved students of non-English speaking background perceive with ethnic groups and ethnic education, it is clear to me Aborigines in Australian society. But, of course, Aboriginal that in so many areas we just don’t rate a mention. That’s education is also a discrete and separate area for which where Multicultural Education is going to win or lose. As a great deal remains to be done at State and Federal long as it stays the province of the “multiculturalists" and levels. migrant educators it will always be a small, ghetto area. So far Multicultural Education has been very much a What we’ve got to do, and this is the thing I’ve learned matter of people doing their own thing, making do with very clearly in the last year, is to demand a place in the extremely limited resources, ad hoc policies, and whole spectrum of educational thinking and practice from dependent on the voluntary efforts of parents and computers to school organisations. In short we need to community people. What I hope for from the National become a part, an integral part, of the mainstream. Advisory and Co-ordinating Committee on Multicultural Even bilingual education, which most people conceive Education and the State Committee is proper planning. of as being only for migrant kids and only about their I hope practice can be based on the belief that this is transition to English, is a methodology that can and a permanent part of the curriculum of every single school. should be available to any child. At Bayswater South We need the proper planning to produce teachers that Primary School students are learning in German, a lot are bilingual, bicultural, and able to offer programmes in of them don’t have active German and the majority have any school in that way, so that Multicultural Education no German spoken at home. is not just an add-on on the curriculum of a school but What is involved is being very creative about language a fundamental, thorough-going part of every one of them. and culture and saying that every group in society, Importantly, though, really big efforts are required to whether it be Anglo, Jewish, or Lebanese, produces ensure equality for migrant students from non-English culture. Culture is the way a group makes sense of its speaking backgrounds. world and that’s as relevant to children at Ouyen PS. as I’m not suggesting that these changes can be achieved it is at Brunswick North PS. Therefore there’s a starting quickly. That's not how change ever happens. But we point in any school. With migrant children, however, there need to plan in this way so that in the long term it may are prior considerations of equity. happen. We have to work as though that’s everybody’s This also applies to Aboriginal Education. The view, isolating the racists and the laggers as much as Commonwealth Multicultural Education Programme possible. We need to establish ourselves in the includes Aboriginal culture and languages as part of its mainstream. brief. In Victoria the MACMME has funded Aboriginal Projects in Richmond and Gippsland and maintains close Renata Singer

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Page 32 — Migration Action Voi. VII No. 3 1985 Legislation Against Incitement to Racial Hatred?

A personal view by Paolo Totaro, Chairman, NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission.

There is a host of positive measures which can be While upholding the right of freedom of taken to improve the status of all of us and, expression, it is the Government’s duty to ensure consequently, improve racial harmony. Why resort that racist views do not lead to the oppression of to special legislation at this point in Australian any individual or group. The measures which have history? been taken by the N.S.W. Government through the Ethnic Affairs Commission, the anti-Discrimination The view I take in this article may seem to be Board and many other equality of opportunity against the respected opinion of some of those with initiatives, are appropriate measures. They have whom I am associated in the fight against racism. simultaneously stressed the powerful anti-racist I may appear to be provocative, promoting a narrow commitment of the Government and set out the civil-libertarian line in arguing, as I do, against a new machinery to provide remedies against oppression. law on incitement to racial hatred. But my profound, The need now is for more positive initiatives to almost instinctive anti-fascist commitment, strengthen inter-ethnic and race relations in the stemming from witnessing, in my childhood, the community as a whole. immense suffering caused by racism, has posed a personal dilemma for me: should I, for the sake Notwithstanding the many examples of racism of appearing aligned with some of my allies against today, paradoxically having as a principal target the racism, go against my conscience and adopt a line earliest Australians — the Aborigines — analysis which I perceive as ineffective, tokenistic and of the 200 years of Australian history shows a counterproductive? marked decrease in the effects of racism and an increase in acceptance of the “diverse” in the Only after months of thinking and consulting, I general community. A positive trend is confirmed have adopted the attitude which I explain in this by examining changes in Australian society after article. At the same time, I must state my World War II and the effects of equality of awareness that discrimination and racism are still opportunity and multicultural policies in the last seriously affecting the lives of some community 11 years. The negative aspects are also confirmed by groups. Our Turkish interim report states that there the observation of episodes of overt intolerance but is racism in schools. Teachers discourage migrant — more often — of covert resistance. children from continuing, saying that with the marks they obtain they will not be able to enter university. If, against this historical perspective, one This is one of the most disturbing problems facing examines social trends in many other developed our society. How could a law forbidding incitement nations, one cannot avoid coming to conclusions to racial hatred help? which are not altogether negative, as far as I believe that when democracy is relatively strong Australia is concerned. In particular, comparing and sure of itself, as it is in Australia, it should Australia’s public policy to that of many other tolerate the expression of diverse views. The price countries — or to its public policy of only 11 years of an established democracy may be to tolerate ago — we should note that: even the right of a racist to express racist views, • Legal remedies against the effects of racism are when no grave emergency warrants special now embodied in many statutes, including the measures to limit the freedom of speech. two pieces of specialist legislation in N.S.W. The equal dignity of all races is now affirmed by which established the anti-Discrimination Board equality of opportunity laws, and is no longer denied and the Commission. in other laws. The next possible step — from a • Australian foreign policy is declaredly anti-racist. legislator’s point of view — would be to enshrine • Public education of both children and adults is these principles in the Constitution. being progressively cleansed of racist overtones.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 33 • Public administration, the media and the services or in general treat a person less community are participating a trend which leads favourably than another on the grounds of race. to more and more acceptance of the diverse — And Section 52 of the Anti-Discrimination Act with the troughs and highs which characterize further says: “Where a person causes, instructs, all social trends. There is no doubt that we are induces, aids or permits another person to do currently traversing a trough. But Australia has an act that is unlawful by reason of this Act, they experienced other periods of antagonism both shall be subject, jointly and severally, to any towards new waves of immigrants and refugees. liability arising under this Act in respect of the The recent anti-Asian tension is symptomatic of doing of that Act”. one such period and may, by some, be For all these reasons, I believe that at this discounted as a problem which will sort out itself. moment in Australian history, we do not need This view is borne out in research on opinion special laws to deal with incitement to racial polls carried out by Mr Murray Goot (recently hatred by means of prohibition and punishment. published by the Ethnic Affairs Commission). What may be needed is strengthening of the Nevertheless, given the particular history of existing provisions on incitement to commit an some Australians’ fear or hatred of “Chinese” offence and — maybe — a test case on racial Asians, the particular “visibility” of Asians and grounds. the current problem of high unemployment, I There is a further reason why I believe that agree that this cycle of racial tension may have special laws to deal with incitement to racial to be treated differently. hatred are not warranted at this time. • The social contract under which Australian If a law is enacted which sets out remedies society is constructed, makes it possible to deal against “ racial hatred’’, what about incitement with the negative effects of racism including to hatred on other grounds (against people with incitement to commit crimes on racial grounds, different religious or political views or different using all existing resources, including the whole sexual preferences)? If one imagines a set of body of laws and courts. General provisions exist speakers on a Sunday in Hyde Park, one inciting in our law to deal with incitement to commit the public to, say, hate an ethnic group, another crimes. In the Crimes Act, 1900, Section 351 one to hate AIDS carriers, would it be reasonable and Section 546, although the term “ incite” is in Australia of 1985 to expect the law to intervene not used, other terms are used that appear to in one case and not in the other? The law would be close in meaning to the word "incite” to send the racist fringes underground, make commit crimes. Further, it is a common law martyrs of them and, in the long run, use their misdemeanour for one person to incite or solicit own tactics for dealing with an enemy. another to commit or to attempt to commit a Most importantly, there is a host of positive crime, although such crime is not actually measures which can be taken to improve the committed or attempted. The view set out in status of the people and, consequently, improve Watson & Purnell, “Criminal Law in N.S.W." is that racial harmony — we have canvassed such it is a common law misdemeanour to attempt to measures with colleagues at the Anti- incite or solicit the commission, or the attempted Discrimination Board and hope to be able to commission of a crime. To constitute the offence recommend them to the Government. of incitement there must be a communication This article first appeared in ETHNOS, No. 39 March 85’ which reaches some person whom the offender wishes to incite, though it is not necessary that the mind of the person whom it is sought to reach should be in anyway influenced. Where the communication is sent with a view to incite, but does not reach the intended recipient, the sender is guilty of the common law misdemeanour of attempting to incite. A variety of legislation has arisen from the desire to preserve public order, HONEY MONEY so that where a person acts in an offensive manner in a public place or causes serious SUPPORT EMC’s self help project by alarm and affront, or precipitates public disorder, buying pure honey he or she may be liable to conviction of one or more of these offences (See Offences in Public at 90 cents per 500 grams Places Act). • Other effects of racism or racial prejudice on an Order in bulk or call at: individual’s life are dealt with in various ways. For 133 CHURCH STREET, RICHMOND instance, it is nowadays unlawful to deny

Page 34 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 World Scene

Why are ethnic, racial, and gender Prejudice MEET THE BIG SCREEN STARS AT stereotypes parading across the screen so frequently? A key reason is that today’s returns to filmmakers are steeped in movies of the VILLAGE past — “ Indiana Jones” for example, is Hollywood WATCH OUT! 7, based directly on old matinee serials — They v* got to pUan th* warat ’ and they are fond of reviving and cnott 4i*tncl th* wo«t4 9 ^ r rehashing old Hollywood conventions, Is a tide of racial bias creeping across Bui thai • m »k>Mm the movie world? Th»y c» th* artutl including some that there’s no reason to police ioice in the Is film — often called an international be proud of. language — nudging viewers away from | |i| »!*•:■■ tolerance and togetherness? The fact is that Hollywood has a long history of exploiting racial slurs and Is there a “ resurgence of offensive ethnic stereotyping” in Hollywood today? stereotypes. Some practices were even institutionalized in the notorious The answer is yes, in the view of two Production Code, set up in the 1930s to angry groups: the National Asian guard the manners and morals of American Telecommunications moviegoers. Some of today's viewers, fed Association and Chinese for Affirmative up with sex and violence, look back on the Action. code with nostalgia; but it’s important to In a statement in July, reported by the remember the dark side of that long-lived entertainment newspaper Variety, they experiment. "Miscegenation (sex zero in on two current hits — “ Indiana relationship between different races) is Jones and the Temple of Doom” and forbidden”, read one clause. In practice "Sixteen Candles” — calling them “ racist this meant — to quote film historian Roger in their portrayal of Asian people”. They Dooley — that “when two young people say Asians in these movies are used only of different races fell in love, it was a sin “ in the context of cruelly etched comic against white ethnic purity for which the foils or mindless, faceless inferior only proper wages was death for at least masses". one, preferably the one with darker skin”. liumi'Mm Speaking more generally, the groups This discrimination went for all races note that such films "consciously or other than white and was felt in many unconsciously determine people’s types of films. According to Dooley, attitudes towards Asians". They assert that blacks, native Americans, and Chinese movies of this sort are especially were the most “grievously slandered” dangerous because of their popularity groups during the '30s, although the with young and impressionable Japanese caught up after Pearl Harbor. audiences, and they warn that “the conservative climate in America today is niliTIti!!! Racial and ethnic attitudes have conducive to turning back all the social liberalized in recent years, but for the most and political gains that Asians and other part the self-centered movie world has • >l >*l^**% IM 1*0- 1>I*II IHHJjJjIlpifxiUjf, people of color have made over the last continued to reflect white, bourgeois 20 years . . : Ihe ■fiaminqckid$'*>■ values. One sharp-eyed critic, Jonathan These groups will get no argument from Rosenbaum, has complained of me. I pointed out the bigotry of “Sixteen “ incessantly hammered-in xenophobia” — a fear or hatred of anything foreign — Candles” and deplored the racism of Mis s in g | n Action * “ Indiana Jones" in my original reviews. in films as diverse as “Star Wars” and “The Deer Hunter”. While such attitudes But the problem isn't limited to these may be tucked deeply into a movie’s fabric movies or to Asian stereotypes. and be hard to pin down, their influence Insensitive treatment of racial and ethnic is present and pervasive. material crops up in many current films. Note the conniving Arab shiekhs in I—M Still, all is not gloomy, even amid the "Cannonball Run II” . Or the R?,.A T «.*!«» 11* 4pm current spate of insensitive films. Such condescending view of Latin America in T l i d >. m u to ' hits as “Ghostbusters" and “Gremlins”

"Romancing the Stone”. Or the nasty M O lfB C lB d make at least a nominal effort to integrate HARRISON Cuban portrayals in “Scarface”. Or the FORD P*(«r W*ir their casts with black or Asian characters sleazy roles for virtually all the nonwhites ■M.mm 1 m m ta of some dignity, considering the 7 B. [ loncont » I Tomyhl tom in “ Bachelor Party”. Sexism, too, is far * U JO I Set b » » lUvm circumstances. A main character of “The from vanquished at the movies. With its Karate Kid” is a wise and good Okinawan helplessly screaming heroine, “ Indiana teacher. "Moscow on the Hudson” is a Jones” marks a step backward even from bittersweet celebration of the immigrant it's predecessor, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, experience, though its potshots at Soviet in which the female lead could at least ■■ m oil society are paired with a curiously benign trade punch for punch with the hero. view of American poverty. Despite its

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 35 other lapses, “ Rhinestone" has a heroine or just “private sites of narcissistic And movies that take snide attitudes who is leagues ahead of the menfolk in pleasure” for self-absorbed individuals? toward minority groups pollute the general brains and talent. The cast of “The The evidence today is mixed, as I see atmosphere of moviegoing by hurting Muppets Take Manhattan” is integrated by it. People still treasure the experience of sensitive viewers, while providing others race as well as by species. And some mingling with other viewers in movie with nothing more valuable than cheap performers from minority groups are houses, despite the lure of cable TV at jokes or easy stereotypes that sidestep single-handedly winning over wide home. Filmgoing remains a social activity thought. Amid the current controversies audiences. A good example is Richard that brings varied crowds together in a about violence and sex in film, issues of Pryor, whose concert films have been shared experience. racism and sexism must not be hugely popular. Yet the movies themselves aren't living overlooked. While often harder to spot and up to their responsibilities. Films are more complex to analyze, they stand In his 1980 book “Moving Places” critic increasingly aimed at specific audiences among the most insidious villains of the Rosenbaum raises a key question: Do — fantasies for kids, sex farces for teens, movie world. today’s commercial films offer "public and so on — instead of encouraging forums and community meeting places” broad family viewing. Christian Science M onitor 26/8/84

Many politicians have welcomed the The youth of popularity of the SOS badge. Racism in UK Faced with re-emergence of the France lends a extreme Right, party leaders across the on increase board have hailed the coming of SOS as hand to fighting a means to combat the rising fortunes of LONDON: Nine out of 10 Britons believe Jean-Marie Le Pen, whose National Front their country is racially prejudiced, racism captured nearly nine per cent of the according to a government survey of national vote in cantonal elections last social trends. month. But only a third of those polled admitted Half a million French teenagers are The pro-government daily newspaper to racial prejudice themselves. sporting a new symbol to fight racial ‘Le Matin' has proclaimed itself a "militant Almost half the people surveyed discrimination — a badge carrying the paper dedicated to the anti-racist believed prejudice against blacks and message “ Hands Off My Buddy". struggle". Asians had increased in recent years and When 25-year-old Harlem Desir and a Opening the spring session of the would worsen. group of friends designed the hand­ National Assembly last week, Prime The survey also showed opposition to shaped badge last October, they had no Minister Laurent Fabius called on the ethnic immigration running high. More idea the symbol would catch on like nation to join the “pacifist struggle” than 60 per cent of those polled opposed wildfire as racism and France’s four against racial discrimination. more West Indians and Asians being million foreigners became a focus of The conservative but increasingly allowed into Britain. national debate. popular write ‘Le Pen’ has now joined in Now 500,000 youngsters throughout the battle of the badges. His message is T h e A g e 12/1/85 France pin the flaming yellow, pink or to keep France for the French. His badge green hands to coats and jackets, and reads “ Hands Off My People". plaster walls with anti-racist posters Leaders of various creeds and supplied by Desir’s Paris-based group, communities have expressed indignation which is called SOS Racism and was set over the mounting violence and daily up after a black friend was threatened by harassment faced by France's commuters who claimed he’d stolen a immigrants. wallet. In recent weeks there have been three At SOS headquarters in one of Paris’s racist attacks — the killing of two North immigrant districts, the telephone never African workers and a bomb attack at a stops ringing. Many teenagers call from Jewish film festival which injured 16 across the country to report cases of people. discrimination. "Skin color was no problem at school T h e A g e 19/4/85 or on the street,” said 22-year-old SOS organiser Jean-Pierre Chaumont. “But the old people now are brainwashing us with their racist hatred.” As in the 1930s, people facing tough times and job cuts were turning on foreign workers as scapegoats, he said. A wave of racist killings has swept the country in recent months. In one incident a young Algerian tourist was beaten up and thrown out of a moving train by four soldiers. A Moroccan was shot dead for talking to a white woman, and an 11-year- old was paralysed after being struck by a Frenchman irritated by the noise of foreign youngsters.

Page 36 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 others. He says that Vatican Council II, and we get more guidance". The Anti-Semitism: which ended in 1965, opened the way for Immigration Appeal Tribunal heard a better communications between Jews and number of cases last spring. It decided how intolerance Catholics. "There [have] been more that where the marriage was genuine only positive Catholic^Jewish relations in the impropriety or ulterior motive would has turned into past 20 years than in the preceding displace the presumption that the primary 1,900 years,” Rabbi Rudin says. purpose of marriage was permanent Christian and Jewish leaders have also cohabitation. brotherhood taken the initiative on the local level to The Home Office had its guidance. It defuse religious controversies and extend did not like it. Instead of circulating its Anti-Semitism in America — for too a helping hand to their neighbors. posts abroad with details of these cases long a blot on democracy — seems to be For instance, Protestant clergymen in it persuaded the tribunal to hold a special fading. This could mean that other Larchmont, N.Y., conscious of the hearing before three legally qualified religious, racial, and ethnic prejudices in resistance of Jews and others to the use chairmen. (Normally there is one lawyer the United States are also on the wane. of Christian symbols on public property, and two lay members.) Last week its Jewish leaders attribute the gradual resolved the issue by agreeing to erect the decision in the case of Vinod Bhatia was abatement of bias against Jews to community’s Christmas creche on private handed down. By a majority of two to one changes in society’s overall attitudes over property — rotating the responsibility the tribunal decided that it was not enough the past twenty years. A study prepared annually among participating churches. to show that the marriage (or for the American Jewish Committee by Also, in a unique mitzvah (Hebrew for engagement) was genuine. The husband Yankelovich, Skelly & White assesses that "good deed”) project in Manchester, N.H., has to show that he does not intend to “Americans now express more members of a local synagogue volunteer immigrate yet. By definition he will hardly acceptance of atheists, individuals with to replace Christians in certain jobs (e.g., ever succeed because his wife is here beards, and the right of foreigners 'to pumping gas, providing meals for the and wishes to remain here. maintain their foreign ways’. elderly and infirm, baby-sitting) on In the Bhatia case, the only evidence “Americans are also less chauvinistic Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to of immigration being the primary purpose about the . . . American way of life. This enable them to be with their families. of the marriage was that the woman, Vijay acceptance of the ‘foreign’ is closely This is the way friendships begin and Kumari, had been divorced and "Indians associated with acceptance of Jews,” this stereotypes break down, Rabbi Rudin do not usually marry divorcees,” and that survey concludes. points out. Vinod Bhatia had at one time wanted to What this appears to be saying is what work in Iraq. In a devastating dissent, some have said all along: that a more The Christian Science M onitor 9/2/85 Professor David Jackson (who had pluralistic and sophisticated society is less presided in some of the earlier cases) said likely to exhibit religious and racial that the Home Office was, like Humpty prejudice than a narrowly based and less Dumpty, trying to make words mean educated one. How wives whatever they said they meant. No quarrel with this. The case is now before the High Court. Bigotry, by its very nature, is senseless, become widows Unless the courts uphold the dissenting often resulting from long-ingrained view and the Home Office accepts the stereotypes, filtered down through families The British government has long been interpretation another lengthy case will and perceived through distorted education committed to restricting the immigration now end up in Strasbourg. or misguided religious teaching. of husbands and fiances to a minimum. As late as the 1960s, the Yankelovich In 1980 it changed the immigration rules New Society 11/10/84 study says, a great many non-Jewish to exclude not only husbands in marriages Americans generally considered Jews as of convenience but also those genuine clannish, power-grabbing, shrewd, tricky, marriages where the "primary purpose" troublemaking, and more loyal to Israel was immigration. It was for the Home than to the US. Significant changes in Office to prove this primary purpose but public perceptions had taken place by the it steadfastly declined to explain what it 1980s. In fact, between 80 percent and meant. The conceptual difficulty of a 90 percent of nonUews accept their Jewish genuine marriage having some other neighbors as “ hardworking”, "warm and purpose than an intention to live together friendly”, having a “strong faith in God”, was ignored in the debates on the 1980 and “contributing much to the cultural life rules. The main attack was on the overt of America”. discrimination between men settled here Why the change? Some assessments (who can bring in wives and fiancees say the turnaround started when Jews without restriction) and women who must began to be portrayed as decent, law- be citizens and then have to overcome abiding Americans in the press and in these other hurdles. educational materials. Also Protestant and In 1983 the government changed the Roman Catholic leaders began openly burden of proof so that husband and wife denouncing anti-Semitism as inconsistent had to show that immigration was not their with their own religious commitments and primary purpose. Meanwhile the at odds with a compassionate society. At European Commission on Human Rights the same time, significant discussions had found that the earlier rules were a were initiated at national and local levels prima facie breach of the Convention and between religious leaders of diverse faiths. referred the case to the court. There was Rabbi A. James Rudin, a leading Jewish a hearing two weeks ago. spokesman in the US and director of Giving evidence to the Commons home national interreligious affairs with the affairs committee earlier in 1984, the American Jewish Committee, has been at Home Office minister, David Waddington, the forefront of a movement to promote said that “all of us will benefit as the enlightened dialogue between Jews and appellate system is used in these cases

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 37 Action

Commission chairman Dame Roma Illegal migrant Mitchell said in a statement that in cases Vietnamese involving human rights of Australian-born children should children of parents who were not family reunion Australian citizens "the rights of the stay: children are paramount”. liberalised “We recognise the status of the Au commission Yeungs as illegal immigrants but we The Vietnamese Government has believe they should be allowed to return approved a new category of migration to The Federal Government should alter with their Australian child as permanent Australia under the family reunification its practice of deporting illegal immigrants residents,” she said. scheme. who have children born in Australia, the "We have also recommended that a But the decision only will add to the big Fluman Rights Commission has more effective supervision of temporary backlog of migration applications already recommended. residents would remove or substantially in the pipeline. Migrants or refugees in Australia now The commission has found that a Flong reduce the problems posed by cases like will be able to sponsor applications from Kong couple should not have been the Au Yeungs" brothers and sisters left behind in deported last September and Dame Roma said it might be fairer to Vietnam. recommended they be allowed to return change the rule that Australian birth Previously, Vietnam restricted to Australia as permanent residents. automatically resulted in Australian sponsorship under the Orderly Departure The commission has also citizenship, unless not conferring Program largely to spouses, elderly recommended that the Government citizenship would render the child parents and dependant children. consider whether Australia’s international stateless. The new category is expected to attract human rights obligations require it to another 2000 applications this year. A g e 29/3/85 automatically grant citizenship to the The Australian Department of children of non-citizens born in Australia. Immigration is expected to process only The recommendations are contained in Move to expand 5000 of the 30,000 outstanding a report tabled in Parliament, entitled The applications during the financial year Fluman Rights of Australian-born Children: 1984-1985. A Report on the Complaint of Mr and Mrs functions of And the overwhelming majority of those R.C. Au Yeung. will be in the categories already approved, multicultural parents and dependant children. The report said Mr and Mrs Au Yeung Government officials are sceptical that, had arrived in Sydney on 15 August, 1982, institute although Vietnam has approved the new on a tourist visa. They had moved to category, it would be willing to allow large Bourke in western NSW two months later numbers of skilled or semi-skilled workers to work at the RSL Club restaurant. Legislation expanding the objects and functions of the Australian Institute of to leave the country. On 19 December, 1983, Mrs Yeung Multicultural Affairs (AIMA) has passed There now are so many applications for gave birth to a son, Alvin Au Yeung, who the Flouse of Representatives and been family reunification that processing is became an Australian citizen by birth. introduced in the Senate. taking several years. Each application has to be The Department of Immigration and The Australian Institute of Multicultural authenticated, and then approved under Ethnic Affairs had detained the family in Affairs Amendment Bill 1985 also aims to the various categories and criteria laid May 1984 as they were negotiating to buy increase the size of the AIMA council from down by the Australian Government. a restaurant at Temora, NSW, and they nine to 12, to allow the appointment of an The overwhelming majority of had been “forced to leave" on September Aboriginal representative. applications for family reunification come 27, 1984 as illegal immigrants. Introducing the bill, the Minister for from the southern part of Vietnam. The commission said they had not been Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Mr Chris Australia maintains an embassy in legally deported but had had no option but Hurford, said it would also allow public Hanoi, in the north. to leave, which had been an effective participation in the nomination of But there is no full time diplomatic or deportation. members on the council. consular representation in Ho Chi Minh The Au Yeungs had complained that City (Saigon). Mr FHurford said the legislation would There has been speculation in the their deportation was contrary to human encourage improved community relations, rights because their son was an Australian Foreign Affairs Department that Australia and among other things, assist ethnic might have to open a consulate. citizen and his human rights were groups to obtain guidance in making infringed. The issue of the new migration category representations to governments. was raised with the Foreign Minister, The commission agreed that this was It recognised the rights of ethnic groups Mr Hayden during his recent visit to so, according to principles contained in to retain their ethnic and cultural identities, Vietnam. the International Covenant on Civil and while participating fully in Australian By June, 1984, there were about 68,500 Political Rights and the United Nations society, he said. people in Australia who were born in Declaration of the Rights of the Child, to Vietnam. which Australia is a signatory. 23/2/85 H e r a ld 20/3/85

Page 38 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 set aside. However, task force members “ I intend to continue this policy dating Gay partners understood from Labor Party sources that from the Fraser Government. Each case West intended to recommend the change will continue to be considered individually could stay as to Cabinet. and on its merits." The new minister, Hurford, is also migrants treading gently. In a carefully-worded A spokesman for Hurford said about six statement to The National Times, he said: homosexual applicants had actually “ Under the Migration Act homosexual qualified but lobbyists say these date back The Department of Immigration and relationships are not recognised as family to the Fraser years. Ethnic Affairs is considering revising the relationships. In relation to people already Migration Act to recognise homosexual They say about 20 applications (for the in Australia there is a provision for and lesbian de facto relationships for granting of permanent resident status to permanent residence granted on the basis family migration purposes. non-Australians) have been lodged with of 'strong compassionate and The review — part of a study of all the minister's office but none has been humanitarian reasons’. guidelines in the context of the Sex processed. "A homosexual relationship does not of Discrimination Act — is looking at the itself qualify someone for admission under One Japanese man has been waiting case of gay partners, already in the these grounds. Taken with other two years for a decision. country on temporary visas, changing circumstances it has resulted in their status to permanent residents. applicants qualifying for residency. It is not known when the report will be National Times 18/1/85 ready to go to the Minister for Immigration, Chris Hurford. It is understood that the former Minister for Immigration, Stewart West, was close to making a decision about the change when he lost the portfolio in the Cabinet reshuffle following the December elections. Although research into the feasibility of such changes to the Migrant Act began early last year, government officials and lobbyists agreed to a low key approach but are bracing themselves for the inevitable public backlash. It is a highly-sensitive issue and they feared organised protests and letter campaigns by anti-homosexual groups might jeopardise the case before West could give the matter reasonable consideration. (Ironically, the Public Service recognised homosexual de facto relationships in 1978.) As it stands, Australian immigration policy recognises, for the purpose of family reunion, only relationships recognised by Australian law — that is, in respect of marriages, only those between males and females. A homosexual relationship can not be claimed as the basis for migrant entry in the family eligibility category, (According to departmental guidelines, to establish genuineness, a heterosexual de facto spouse needs to prove a current, lasting and exclusive relationship containing elements found in matrimonial relationships. Such elements include public recognition of the couple, shared accommodation, shared income and financial assets.) A task force representing 11 gay groups made its first submission to West recommending the change last April. Although it — and a second submission in August plus a request for a meeting with the minister — was not acknowledged, the task force was given to understand that West would support the changes. Also, at the time West was deeply involved in the controversy resulting from Professor Blainey’s criticism of the Government’s policy on Asian migrants and the homosexuality policy review was

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 39 Court to review Clamp on Increase deport power foreigners who immigration or

The Immigration Minister’s right to stay risk invasion: deport people without notice is to be reviewed in the High Court. The Federal Government is considering economist This follows the Full High Court changes to the migration guidelines to decision in Melbourne to give leave to make it more difficult for visitors to Australia would risk invasion in about appeal to a Tongan family fighting the Australia to obtain permanent residence. 40 years unless the immigration program • Minister, Mr West’s, decision to deport Each year between 6000 and 8000 was stepped up and the population grew, them for overstaying their visas. people who enter the country on according to the economist and The Full Court of the Chief Justice, Sir temporary visas obtain permanent futurologist Mr Phil Ruthven. Harry Gibbs, and Justices Brennan and residence. The bulk of them either marry He told a “ Multicultural Australia” Wilson, decided the family should be or enter into a de facto relationship with conference at Melbourne University that allowed to argue that two landmark an Australian. the present increase in Australia's birth decisions in 1977 by the High Court were The Immigration Minister, Mr Hurford, rate was encouraging, but said a major open to reconsideration. has expressed concern that this group is issue was whether immigration would The rulings not to allow the two to put not counted as part of the total ceiling for increase to further speed up population their case meant that without giving new migrants, which is determined before growth. reasons or notice of intention, the the start of each financial year. In 1984-85 Mr Ruthven, of IBIS Corporate Services, Government could pick up a person and the Government approved a total intake predicted a population of at least put him or her on a plane out of the of 74,000. 20.3 million by the year 2000, with a country. The estimated number of new growth rate of 2 to 2.5 per cent "compared The Immigration Minister ordered the permanent residents will boost this to to our current niggardly 1.3 per cent”. deportation of Mr Jason Kioa, 30, and his 80,000. Mr Hurford yesterday confirmed "Eith'er we orchestrate it (population wife, Fotolina, 27, of Holtom St., North that he was looking at tougher rules growth) carefully and start sharing this Carlton. covering applications for permanent great country with more people, or we can The Kioas have two children, Elitisi, 5, residence by visitors. do nothing and have a very quick catch­ born in Tonga, and Elvina, 2 years old this The issue was discussed by the caucus up in around about 40 years time — called week, who was born in Australia and is immigration committee. It is believed an invasion,” he said. an Australian citizen. Mr Hurford referred to the stringent Mr Ruthven said later that this could Mr Ron Merkel, QC, with Mr Peter Rose, Canadian system where marriage to a take the form of a military invasion, or for the family, told the Full Court new Canadian does not guarantee a visitor more likely “persuasive pressures” from legislation had been enacted since the permanent residence. our heavily-populated neighbors or from two landmark cases. Under existing Australian migration the United Nations, if we did not do He submitted that the provisions of the guidelines permanent status is granted enough to share the country. Administrative Decisions Judicial Review automatically to foreigners who marry or But before that happened, he expected Act, relating to the law of natural justice, . enter into a de facto relationship with an Australians would see the benefits of now also bound the Government in Australian. It is generally granted also to immigration and adopt more generous deportations. people who have entered Australia under policies. He said Elvina was being denied her humanitarian programs. Mr Ruthven listed immigration as the rights as an Australian citizen to have Mr Hurford referred to a review of the second most important of the five great expectations regarding education and guidelines when he defended the cures for unemployment in the Western other benefits. Government’s decision to deport an Italian world over the past two centuries. Mr Merkel said that although there was painter, Mr Alfredo Bonanno, four years “But we always manage, when it comes no deportation order on the children, one after he arrived on a five-month visitor’s to a time of economic crisis, to go the could not escape the conclusion there visa. other way," he said. was a de facto deportation of Elvina. Mr Bonanno, who had been living at “We turn off immigration instead of The Kioas will be allowed to stay in Nimbin, on the north coast of New South turning it on. Australia until their appeal is heard some Wales, signed an undertaking on arrival "The other cures were job-sharing time next year in Canberra. not to seek permanent resident status. through shorter working hours, new In the meantime Mr Jason Kioa, Nevertheless he applied for permanent industries, new exports, and paying the although not in custody, is not allowed to status, and Mr Hurford claimed the dole to keep the money circulating,” he work. application was reviewed five times, said. costing the taxpayer thousands of dollars. Mr Ruthven predicted a resources S u n , 7/11/84 "When visitors overstay their visas and are boom in 1992! full employment and a allowed permanent residence, the great solution to poverty by the 21st century. majority of would-be migrants, who abide But we would not have the luxury of by the rules, are discriminated against,” going into the 21st century with a he said. population of only 15.5 million, he said. There are about 50,000 illegal migrants “The courtroom of the world will judge in Australia. us even more severely than South Africa on apartheid if we turn inwards for the A g e 27/3/85 next century as we have been doing for most of the 20th century." It would be “a glorious 21st century," he said. “ But I think we are going to have to share it.”

A g e 8/12/84

Page 40 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Review of Adult Migrant Education Program

The Minister for Immigration and The AMEP is part of the Com­ (e) examine the experience, Ethnic Affairs, Mr Chris Hurford has monwealth's post arrival programs and qualifications and status of announced a major review of the services for migrants. It provides teachers; their pre-service and in- AMEP. English language learning oppor­ service preparation; and the The Review is to be headed by Pro­ tunities for non-English speaking availability of appropriate fessor Jack Campbell, Professor of migrants and orientation information to undergraduate and postgraduate Education at the University of new settlers. It is administered by the (especially Masters) courses; Queensland. The other four members Department of Immigration and Ethnic (f) examine the outcomes of the pro­ are Affairs and delivered by State and Ter­ gram including the levels of pro­ ritory educational authorities and ficiency obtained, the develop­ • Mrs K.M. Young, Chairperson of some tertiary institutions. ment of continuing motivation, the Ethnic Communities Council sense of selfhood and of per­ of Tasmania; Within that context, the Review will sonal growth, enhanced life-role • Dr M. Polasek, Senior Lecturer in satisfaction, equality of oppor­ Economics, Flinders University; (a) examine the existing aims and tunities and the sense of aliena­ • Mr J. Hoadley, Chief Planning Of­ objectives of the AMEP and tion or attachment; ficer, Royal Melbourne Institute of assess their appropriateness in (g) examine the program as perceiv­ Technology; and light of Government policy for the ed and evaluated by its clients; provision of English language and (h) assess the adequacy of planning, • M r W. Leslie, Assistant Secretary, orientation programs for administration, co-ordination, Australian Teachers' Federation. migrants. The appropriateness of financial and other arrangements Section 4(1) of the Immigration at the Commonwealth and State Because the Commonwealth, (Education) Act 1971 should also levels for the delivery of AMEP States and Territories share respon­ be assessed. services, including: sibility for the Program, the Review — the co-ordination, production Committee will consult with the States and supply of English and Territories. It will also hear from (b) examine the extent to which the language learning materials; migrants, refugees and teachers. Program is reaching and meeting the needs of non-English speak­ — information systems for the The Government’s policy in regard ing migrants including the needs planning, monitoring and to adult migrant education is: of women, of young people, of the evaluation of the AMEP; aged, of the disabled and of — research and evaluation • to ensure that migrants on arrival those illiterate or semi-literate in strategies; in Australia, and subsequently, their mother tongues; — strategies for providing ac­ have access to information cess to AMEP courses for essential to their successful set­ (c) examine the appropriateness of migrants who have not tlement in Australia; the English language learning previously had the oppor­ • to recognise that a critical need program in the light of current tunity to learn English (the of non-English speaking migrants thinking relating to the nature of “backlog”); (including refugees) is the ability adult learning; (i) examine the interface of the to communicate in English; and AMEP with other educational pro- (d) examine the appropriateness of grams/institutions, with labour • to accept that all adults who do training programs and affirmative not communicate in English ade­ curriculum resources used to action/EEO initiatives; quately for their needs must achieve the aims and objectives of the program; the ap­ (j) examine and report on the nature have the opportunity to learn propriateness of educational and effectiveness of orientation English. methodologies which are in use; programs conducted under the These policies are largely im­ the appropriateness of systems AMEP; and plemented through the Adult Migrant for the planning, monitoring and (k) propose avenues for the future Education Program (AMEP). evaluation of English courses; development of the AMEP.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 41 The political dangers of the immigration The reason, he says, is family-reunion New brief are not lost on Mr Hurford. He agrees policy which, under the current that his initial approach to the job has restrictions, gives priority to mother-father- Immigration been to calm down what had become a daughter-son reunions. heated area after Professor Geoffrey The greatest demand for such family Blainey’s well-publicised criticism of Minister reunions is now coming from South-East immigration policy and the Liberal Party’s Asian refugees, says Mr Hurford. attempt to raise immigration as an You may be forgiven for forgetting the election issue. name of the Federal Minister for "Until that is over we will be having the Immigration. He is long-term That was, he says a particularly nasty kind of percentages that we have now,” he period. Political observers believe that parliamentary survivor and former says. Mr Hawke saw in Mr Hurford the kind of accountant Chris Hurford, who admits to quiet administrative abilities neded to “ Policy in family migration has to be having said rather little about his new brief defuse the situation. That would seem to non-discriminatory. We cannot have one since getting the job in Mr Hawke’s fit Mr Hurford's assessment of his own practice relating to people from the government re-shuffle last December. abilities. At 53, and with 15 years of Lebanon or Britain and one for That’s just Mr Hurford’s way. Parliamentary experience, he reckons his Vietnamese. “ I've always believed in getting into a style is “more suited to government”. job and learning as much as one can "Unemployment has meant that the “ I’m an administrator and, I hope, an before sounding off about it,” he says. number of people accepted into this achiever. I'm not so suited to Opposition, Now, after two-months of quiet country is at a historical low. Therefore, to getting headlines by outrageous preparation — “an enormous amount of we are not able to satisfy all the demands reading and moving around the various statements.” that we'd like in other categories, brothers Certainly, he recognises the potential States getting to know people” — he is and sisters for example.” beginning to emerge from his shell. divisiveness of the issues with which he is dealing. He abhors the wall-daubing and “There will be different waves of people The refugee question, Mr Hurford university recruiting campaigns of right- that will change ratios temporarily. This knows, is crucial to Australia’s future will depend on political conflict in a overall immigration policy. wing racist organisations, but says: “We have to be realistic and racism in every particular part of the world. Who knows “The big decision to be made from our where the next wave will come from?" view is the number of refugees that we will community lingers not far below the surface. On balance, our record has “We would be kidding ourselves if we accept," he says. “Of the current annual immigration always been a good one." did not think that the dominant culture will allocation of 72,000 people, 14,000 will be He accepts, too, that migrants from be the Anglo-Saxon-Celt culture; we note some of Australia's more traditional that so many second generation migrants refugees. “And we have to face the fact that these source countries — Britain and Europe — pick-up so much of that Anglo-Saxon-Celt will be mainly ethnic Chinese from Indo­ may be angry at being unable to arrange culture.” china.” migration for their brothers and sisters Migration, Mr Hurford believes, is Mr Hurford is quick to point out that the when they see what appears to be large- helping Australia to develop its own history of Australia’s acceptance of scale Asian immigration. culture. But he is not convinced by those refugees began when the Liberal (According to ABS figures for the June who recommend mass immigration as a Government took the country into the quarter, there were 8350 Asian stimulus to economic growth. Vietnam war. The Liberals then committed immigrants, compared with 4770 Australia to taking refugees, a policy European.) I/Vest A u s tr a lia n 12/2/85 which Labor had continued. Australia’s policy is that where refugees are amenable they should be resettled in their own countries. Next best, is resettlement in nations near to their homelands. “We will play our part in these first two,” says Mr Hurford, “but there will still be a need to accept refugees in Australia.” There is, he says, considerable pressure from overseas — partly from the United States, but particularly from the ASEAN nations, many of which are the first ports of call for refugees. Those countries recognise the efforts that Australia is making he says, “and that is helping in so many ways, particularly trade”. The new Vietnamese offensive in Kampuchea, and the consequent rush of refugees into Thailand, has increased the problem; a factor so significant that Mr Hurford will be visiting both Thailand and Vietnam in April, “ to assess the pressures”. One possibility, he says, is that Australia will have to do more to help people resettle in their own lands — perhaps through more aid.

Page 42 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 SBS fails to Changes urged Report talks of a attract a broad in migrant multi-lingual audience: report English scheme tomorrow

A review of the Special Broadcasting A Senate committee has recom­ At least 70 per cent of children should Service has found that it has at times mended wide-ranging changes to have the chance to learn a second displayed incompetent management and the methods used to teach English to adult language by the year 2 0 0 0 , says the administration, discrimination, and migrants. Victorian Board of Education. resistance to change. The Senate standing committee on And community language and bilingual A Federal Government appointed education and the arts has found that programs should be increased at a rate committee, headed by Mr Xavier Connor, large numbers of people have never been of 60 a year during the next five years and QC, reported that while many of the able to participate fully in Australia’s 100 a year during the following 15 years. criticisms of the organisation can be community life because of English- The Board of Education and ministerial excused because of its awkward speaking handicaps. They include advisory committee on multicultural and inception, the SBS, which has a immigrants, refugees, Aborigines and migrant education makes the recom­ $38.7 million budget from the Federal their children. mendations in a discussion paper Government should accept some blame. The committee’s chairman, Labor on the place of community languages in The committee’s report, tabled in Senator Mai Colston of Queensland, Victorian schools. Parliament by the Communications yesterday urged the Government to adopt The paper says language education is Minister, Mr Duffy, said the SBS long-term strategies to improve the of “ fundamental importance” to all multicultural television service, Channel English skills of adult migrants and ease children in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural 0/28, had failed to attract a truly broad their adjustment into Australian life. society such as Victoria. audience with many more of its viewers He said the Government already spent Children from non-English speaking being from non-English speaking over $100 million annually on English families should have the chance to learn backgrounds than Anglo-Australian. language tuition for people with non- the standard form of their home, language, “This runs counter to the objectives of English speaking backgrounds, but many it says. multiculturalism, which is intended to new initiatives were necessary. And it suggests family relations could involve everyone, and it gives cause for The former teacher said that greater be improved by children and parents concern about the performance of 0/28," flexibility was needed in school programs sharing a common language, which would the report stated. which taught English as a second prevent youngsters developing negative language, and teachers in the field should attitudes toward themselves and their receive greater training. families. The Senate committee, which has The paper recommends that primary recently reported on a national language schools which introduce language SBS*Bringing the world back home policy, recommended in its report that the programs be guaranteed the right to staff Government should fund pilot bilingual them. "We do not expect the channel to education programs for newly arrived It says that a quarter of children in attract large audiences; we do, however, migrants and adult refugees who were government schools in 1983 came from expect nearly everyone to dip into it from illiterate in their first languages. non-English speaking backgrounds. In time to time.” secondary schools the proportion was A g e 14/1/85 The report excused this in part by nearly a third. recognising that multicultural television S u n 25/10/84 was relatively young but suggested that it dramatically increase its proportion of Australian-produced material to 50 per cent by 1988. The report suggested the SBS be CHOMI Bibliography No 13 renamed the multicultural broadcasting corporation and be reconstituted as an independent statutory authority with legislation similar to the ABC. It said a central problem for the SBS was its requirement that it engage staff under the Public Service Act. This was not required of the ABC. Community Relations But the report did not recommend amalgamating the organisation's multicultural television and radio services with the ABC. Such a move was over­ by Kati Sunner whelmingly opposed in the 5000 public submission to the inquiry. But the committee did not rule out such a move in the long term and said $6.50 restructuring the SBS along the lines of the ABC would help make any future integration of the two as smooth as possible. CHOMI 133 Church St., Richmond Vic 3121 In the meantime it recommended the closest possible co-operation.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 43 The committee, headed by Senator Mai "Comparisons between the numbers of Report urges Colston of Queensland, argued that the overseas positions requiring language policy should seek to ensure competence capability and the language proficiencies foreign language in English; the maintenance of other of the occupants of those languages such as Aboriginal dialects; the positions . . . shows more precisely the provision of multi-lingual services; and serious linguistic inadequacies of the study opportunities for learning a second Australian foreign service,” the report language. says. Tax deductions for language teachers Only 30 per cent of positions in the to study overseas and a compulsory one- The decline in foreign language foreign service requiring other languages year language course for secondary courses in schools was highlighted as a are filled by officers competent in a foreign students would help reverse the decline problem. In 1983, a record 15 per cent of tongue. “This is an unsatisfactory situation in foreign language study in Australia, secondary schools did not offer language for Australia," the report says. says a major report released recently. training. The report notes that the decline The Foreign Affairs and Trade The report comes after a two-year in language courses is continuing. Departments told the committee that inquiry by a Federal parliamentary training staff in another language was very It recommends the introduction of a committee which examined all aspects of expensive. For example, a one-year compulsory one-year course in language Australia’s language capacity from Russian language course for two officers training to counter this trend but stops illiteracy within the community to the lack cost the Foreign Affairs Department short of suggesting that the study of of bilingual officials representing Australia $34,000. overseas. foreign languages should be a prerequisite for tertiary enrolment. Teaching literacy skills to the public was A key recommendation in the report another priority identified by the calls for the establishment of a national The committee also found a surprising committee, which estimated that as many advisory council to develop a languages deficiency in language training among as 430,000 people might not be able to policy, something which has been under diplomatic staff involved with trade and read or write. consideration since 1970. foreign affairs. T h e A g e , 18/12/84

Although English classes have been Mr Miltenyi said Justice Sweeney of the English classes offered before through such Government NSW Industrial Commission, who granted bodies as the State Rail Authority, it is the the amendment yesterday, had accepted now official first time the classes have been submissions from the union and the Water incorporated into an industrial award. Board that the program would be of For the first time in Australia’s history, minimal cost for the benefits it would The NSW Labor Council will use the an industrial award has been altered to bring. precedent to ask all its affiliates to seek require an employer to set aside time for The award left the type, duration and similar alterations to their awards. its migrant employees to study English. extent of the courses to negotiation but the The campaign will initially be aimed at Labor Council hopes future variations will public sector unions, but the Labor stipulate a minimum of 100 hours of The amendment which was requested Council will meet the Employers' classes. by the NSW Water and Sewerage Federation in two weeks to try to sell the The Water Board has agreed to run 10 Employees’ Union with the full support of idea to private industry. classes initially to allow for different shifts the Water Board will allow Water Board and language ability. In 1986 and 1987, the employees to have time off without loss Among the benefits cited by the Labor number of classes will be extended to 2 0 . of pay to attend the classes. Council’s Ethnic Affairs Officer, Mr George About 1,000 workers are expected to Miltenyi, are improved health and safety, take part in the voluntary classes. The classes will be run by the Adult decreased workers' compensation Migrant Education Service at the Federal payments, better industrial relations and Sydney Morning Herald 12/5/85 Government’s expense. greater mobility for migrant workers. Advertiser 13/3/85

Page 44 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 The National New Australian Call for laws to Labour Citizenship prevent racism

Consultative Legislation More should be done by the Federal Government in the area of human rights Council Significant amendments to the legislation to stop racism, the chairwoman Australian citizenship laws came into of the Human Rights Commission, Dame The National Labour Consultative effect on 22 November 1984. Roma Mitchell, said recently. Council (NLCC), which is chaired by the The Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Dame Roma, the former deputy Chief Minister for Employment and Industrial Affairs said the changes resulted from the Justice of the South Australian Supreme Relations, has established a committee to Government’s commitment to ensure that Court, said, "I think something should be examine aspects of the multicultural all Australians were treated equally under done about what I would call racial workforce. Its terms of reference are to: the Citizenship Act. The previous laws had defamation. (a) investigate the extent of inequa­ discriminated in important areas between “ I think about a quarter of the lity of opportunity experienced by persons on the basis of ethnic origin, sex complaints we receive are concerning and disadvantages faced by and marital status. offensive printed and oral statements migrants in the workforce, in­ — the qualifying period after which about people merely because of their cluding such matters as — migrants could apply for citizen­ race. • access to suitable employ­ ship has been reduced from 3 to “ If it was done against an individual, ment and vocational training; 2 years; that individual could sue for defamation; • communication barriers; — the English language require­ but if it’s done against a group, they can • occupational health and ment for citizenship has been do nothing. safety; reduced from an adequate to a "It’s really one of the most hurtful things • workers compensation; basic knowledge of English. Per­ to them, (frequently get complaints made • wages and conditions of sons over 50 years of age will not to me personally and have to say there’s employment; need to have any knowledge of nothing you can do about it." • recognition of overseas' English; Dame Roma said it was a problem qualifications; — the Administrative Appeals because if there was legislation it must • cross-cultural relations at the Tribunal will be able to determine not stop freedom of expression, to which workplace. appeals from persons who had all people were entitled. (b) consider the adequacy of existing lost citizenship or whose applica­ Class actions would be one way of pre- and post-arrival services and tions to become citizens have dealing with the problem, but Australia did not yet have them. programs undertaken by govern­ been unsuccessful; ments, employer and employee — mothers will have the same rights “ It’s possible that class actions could bodies and make recommenda­ as fathers in determining their be brought, but you've got to establish the principle first that you’re not allowed to tions for action aimed at — child’s citizenship; (i) improving the co-ordination of — non-citizen children adopted in defame a race, or that there are limits to existing services and pro­ Australia by an Australian citizen the extent to which you can defame a grams; and will automatically be Australian race," Dame Roma said. (ii) remedying identified citizens; “ The State legislation on equal opportunity goes further than the deficiencies. — administration of the Citizenship Commonwealth legislation, and when (c) promote the dissemination of in­ Act will be more flexible for per­ formation on the rationale for and sons who need to spend time out­ that’s proclaimed it will be very interesting nature of remedial measures to side Australia during the qualify­ to see whether that covers some areas that are unsatisfactory at the moment." overcome the disadvantages of ing period; — applications will be able to be migrant workers in the Canberra Times 4/3/85 multicultural workforce. deferred in many circumstances In accordance with the tripartite to enable persons to meet the re­ composition of the NLCC, the new quirements. In the past such ap­ committee comprises representatives of plicants had to be rejected. unions, management and government. Information leaflets about the new Membership is — requirements are available from offices of Mr Cliff Dolan AO ACTU the Department and Migrant Resource Mr Alan Matheson ACTU Centres. Mr David Nolan CAI Mr Eric Witts Ford Australia Mr Peter Mason DEIR Mr Peter Eyles DIEA Although the NLCC tripartite structure of membership precludes specific representation of ethnic organisations, the committee is expected to work in close consultation with ethnic advisers. The first meeting of the committee was held in Melbourne on 26 October 1984. *Mr Peter Hardie (062) 64 2362 — DIEA Contact.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 45 New report from AIM A: Reducing the risk

Reducing the risk: unemployed migrant Factors that appeared to contribute youth and labour market programs, a report significantly to unemployment experience are by the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs, identified in the report. These relate to years of was tabled in Parliament by the Minister for technical education, whether occupation is Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (Mr. Hurford) on manual or non-manual, length of labour force 25 March. The report was requested by the experience, whether part-time work was Commonwealth Government and follows a two- undertaken while at school, English language year review during which the Institute examined proficiency, period of residence in Australia, age Commonwealth labour market programs and and gender. Comparison of the unemployment services from the perspectives of their suitability experience of respondents from the eight and availability to young migrants. groups surveyed with the patterns of arrival of The report examines migrant youth those born overseas, indicated a relationship unemployment from 1971 to 1984 and forecasts between length of unemployment per year in the that the unemployment rate of overseas-born labour force and recency of arrival. The two youth will remain substantially higher than that groups presenting the greatest unemployment of their Australian-born peers. It estimates that experience were also the groups with the unemployment among overseas-born teenagers highest proportions of recent arrivals, and the will rise to about one-third by 1986. highest proportions of respondents experiencing An overview of Commonwealth labour market difficulties with the English language. programs concludes that their development Using the factors identified, the Institute has since the early 1970s has been generally recommended that a risk of unemployment unstructured and unsystematic, resulting in a set scale be used to determine initial access to of programs that lack co-ordination and labour market programs, rather than the present integration with education training systems and eligibility criteria based on duration of the employment market, and are very limited in unemployment. This would allow those young their ability to respond to the special needs of people at high risk to gain immediate access to unemployed migrant youth. labour market training programs. During 1983and1984the Institute ran surveys An examination of the Commonwealth of young people from eight birthplace groups: Employment Service and its service to migrant Australia; the United Kingdom and Eire; Greece; youth concludes that CES language resources Italy; Vietnam; Yugoslavia; and Spanish­ are inadequate, and that CES procedures for speaking and Arabic-speaking countries. The job-seekers tend to present a barrier to access response supplied a wide range of information to both general employment and labour market on the education and labour market experience programs for those migrants experiencing of young people, and the variations in such English language difficulties. experience of young people from different The Institute examined labour market backgrounds. The surveys’ findings were used programs and vocational training from the point to identify the factors influencing unemployment of view of their utilisation by migrants, finding and to produce a measure of unemployment that utilisation of many programs is less than experience that takes into account both duration would be expected given the migrant proportion and frequency of periods of unemployment. of the young unemployed. The proportion of Research into the special needs of overseas-born youth participating in labour unemployed youth found two main areas of market programs was about half that of their need. The first comprised needs that young proportion of unemployed youth, whereas migrants share with Australian-born youth, such Australian-born youth participated in labour as those that arise from lack of work experience market programs in proportion substantially and vocational skills. The second comprised greater than their share of unemployed youth. needs specific to recently arrived migrant youth, Access to labour market programs for migrant such as English language difficulties and youth with limited education and limited English unfamiliarity with the Australian labour market. was particularly low.

Page 46 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 approaches that of Australian-born job­ Migrants Unemployment seekers. The bulletin says that the increase in bearing brunt of higher for new unemployment during the 1982-83 recession was accompanied by an even recession migrants: larger increase in the unemployment rate for migrants, particularly for those who Unemployment among immigrants bureau had recently arrived in Australia. from non-English-speaking countries has It says the bureau’s work confirms that increased significantly over the past three the length of time a migrant has been in years, according to figures released by the Recently arrived migrants have far Australia is the dominant influence on Ethnic Affairs Commission of NSW. higher unemployment rates than their chance of getting a job. However, it Australian-born workers, according to the adds that the chance of not finding a job The figures, provided for the first time Bureau of Labour Market Research. varies between individuals, depending on by the Commonwealth Employment Figures compiled by the bureau show their characteristics. Service, indicate what percentage of long­ that migrants who arrived in Australia The bulletin cautions that although the term unemployed registered at CES during the past 19 months have a 34 per high unemployment rate among recently offices are immigrants from non-English- cent unemployment rate. This compares arrived migrants is worrying, it should be speaking countries. with an unemployment rate of 8 per cent seen in perspective. According to a commission for Australian-born workers. "High unemployment is not a unique spokesman, the figures show that the The bureau’s quarterly bulletin says that disadvantage facing recently arrived proportion of unemployed from non- the unemployment rate for all migrants in migrants," it says. “All new entrants or re­ English-speaking countries has risen by Australia is 10 per cent, 2 per cent higher entrants to the workforce — whether they about 5 per cent over the past three years. than for Australian-born workers. be school leavers, recently arrived In 1981 non-English-speaking According to the bulletin, a typical migrants or married women — are likely immigrants made up about 20 per cent of migrant who has been in Australia less to take some time to obtain a job.” the NSW labour force and 25 per cent of than a year has a one in five chance of The bulletin says that five years the registered unemployed. But in 1984 being without a job. After two years the residence in Australia is sufficient to they represented about 30 per cent of the chance decreases to about one in 10. eliminate most of the differences between unemployed. After longer periods of residence, a the unemployment rates of migrants and The figures also give a breakdown of migrant’s chance of being unemployed that of Australian-born people. the percentage of long-term unemployed registered at various metropolitan CES offices from non-English-speaking countries. Fairfield CES has the highest proportion in the State with 61 per cent, followed by Carrtpsie with 60 per cent and Petersham with 59 per cent. The latest Bureau of Statistics figures indicate that immigrant communities in NEW from the Clearing House on Migration Issues: these areas make up between 30 and 40 per cent of the total population. Other areas with high proportions of THE MULTICULTURAL KIT long-term immigrant unemployed were Auburn with 58 per cent, Mascot with Everything you — or your students — ever wanted to know about 52 per cent, and Marrickville and multiculturalism. Rockdale, both with 50 per cent. Decide for yourself the status of the current debate! According to an Ethnic Affairs The kit includes: Commission spokesman, immigrants are Government Policy less successful in finding work than the Australian-born because they are News and Views concentrated in manufacturing and The Academic Debate construction industries, which are the first All in accessible kit form. and worst affected by economic 50 pages of information, argument and discussion enlivened with downturns. cartoons. They are also concentrated in those All at the ridiculously low cost of: areas of manufacture, such as footwear $8.00 — with discount for bulk or institutional orders and the metal trades, which suffer the most in a recession. Available from: Clearing House on Migration Issues Once out of a job, poor command of 133 Church Street, English makes it harder for immigrants to RICHMOND. VICTORIA. 3121. AUST. find new employment, especially if they PHONE: 03/428 4948 have to compete with Australian-born applicants. The commission is currently campaigning for the implementation of on- the-job English training, which it sees as one way of correcting the unemployment inbalance in the future.

Sydney Morning Herald 10/1/85

Page 52 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 Over the past six years the numbers of The changing lace of immigration settler arrivals from Britain and Ireland went up from 4,442 to 9,411 and then Per cent decreased slightly to 8,901. E H Britain and Ireland (Rep.) Settler arrivals from Asia remained 1-1 Italy steady over the six years with a total of The Netherlands 25,324 arriving during 1983-84. During the Poland six years, refugees had made up about tlllll Germany half of the Asian settler arrivals. f 1 Greece Under the refugee and special [ 1 Yugoslavia humanitarian programs, a total of 14,769 Mill New Zealand people arrived in Australia in 1983-84. In 1111011 Vietnam recent years, says the review, Australia’s Lebanon refugee policy, and the international 1 " 1 Other issues that related to refugees, have 1947-54 1954-61 1961-66 1966-71 1971-76 1976-81 become an increasingly important S ource Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. Australian Immigration Con: element of Australia's international solldatad Statistics, various issues relations.

Mr Ince worked in a factory and of the English language and contracts in For migrants, hospital in Melbourne after migrating with general. his family to Australian in 1974. He saved Mr Frankland said some migrants found ignorance is enough to buy a piece of land in the it hard to meet loan repayments, Goulburn Valley. "particularly when the loan company says “Factory work in Melbourne was boring, sign on the dotted line and we’ll take care anything but so I bought land in Tatura for tomato of the insurance”. growing, I spent $10,000 on equipment Many migrants had vehicles and bliss and spray, but made only $2500 from machinery repossessed because they 25 tonnes of tomatoes," he said. “The costs were not aware of the system, he said. To many European migrants, the of labor, chemicals and water rates The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and Goulburn Valley is a large and fertile outweighed the income." Like many other District, formed in 1978, recently set up market garden with an abundance of fresh Turkish farmers, Mr Ince tried his hand at the Multicultural Contact House to cater vegetables and hectares of trees bursting mixed farming on a small scale; wheat, for the needs of migrant families. with fruit. The real picture is not so vegetables, fruits, a few sheep and cattle, The cream-brick suburban house in healthy. bee-keeping. central Shepparton is a base for migrant Last year when tomatoes were plentiful, But in Australia, farms are education, legal services, welfare, a Turkish grower, Mr Ramazan Ince, was comparatively large, and need tractors, children's and youth services and forced to abandon his dwindling crop. harvesters, and other equipment, out of volunteer community workers. “ I grew tomatoes with my two sons for the range of most poor migrants. A community worker, Ms Marina about three years," Mr Ince said. “ But it One third of the people who live in the Incletolli, said; "We achieved a big was just a dream without money or Goulburn Valley have a non-British breakthrough in the Turkish community by knowledge.” background, including about 10,000 starting a Turkish women's group. Mr Ince now lives alone on his property, Italians, 1000 Greeks, 1000 Albanians, 700 “ Many cannot speak English and feel having sent his family to Melbourne, Turks and a few hundred people from isolated, but they can learn dressmaking where he believes there are better job and Holland, Germany, the Philippines and and crafts at the house, provided no men education opportunities. Singapore. are around,” Ms Incletolli said. He says he knows of eight other Turkish Ten years ago, 80 per cent of Goulburn families who have forsaken tomato plots Valley fruit went to the three canneries in A g e 13/3/85 for factory jobs in Melbourne. “ People the district — SPC, Ardmona and the were paying up to $200 an acre to rent Kyabram Preserving Company — but the land to produce tomatoes; they just orchardists could not rely on selling all couldn't afford the price," he said. produce each year. Shrinking domestic Since the 1920s, immigrants from rural markets and weakened overseas export villages in the Mediterranean countries markets dictated how much fruit and have headed for the Goulburn Valley, vegetables the canneries would buy. hoping for a better life. Every two or three years the growers Many achieved their dream, an orchard were forced to reduce crops, bulldozing plot, that grew into a thriving business, and burning fruit trees and destroying employing extended families, and thousands of tonnes of surplus produce, protecting their children from the dole in accordance with the canneries’ queues. reduced quotas. But others were not as lucky, and had In 1982, the Kyabram cannery closed, to cut losses and settle for factory jobs, laying off 115 permanent and 600 casual or work in the canneries or service workers, and the other two canneries industries. were forced to further reduce intake Many families in the Goulburn Valley’s quotas. Turkish community came straight from the The secretary of the Goulburn Vall.ey farms, lacking formal education, even in Trades and Labor Council, Mr Neil their native tongue. Mr Ince was an Frankland, said some migrants had been exception. He was a teacher in Turkey. exploited because they lacked knowledge

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 51 All in the Family

Increased screening of new arrivals in immigration malpractices in 1983-84 with Multicultural Australia is aimed at stamping out another 44 “on hand" at June 30 last year. terrorism and other acts of violence. It said that on 1983-84, a number of Australia at risk More than 40 cases of immigration Pacific Islanders entered Australia by malpractices were under investigation by unauthorised means involving travel the Immigration Department's through NZ. investigations branch in the middle of last After inquiries in several States, five year. people were prosecuted and gaoled. All They include a sophisticated passport were subsequently deported. racket in South-East Asia, a bogus The report said that during 1983-84 an interpreting service which made alleged officer travelled to South-East Asia to bogus job offers to migrants, and illegal investigate a sophisticated passport marriage practices. racket. Checks on new arrivals had taken on The report also revealed an “particular significance” now that investigation of allegations of corruption Australia had become the scene of a in the Immigration Department. number of bombings “and other acts of It said that in 1983-84, a number of violence”. pointers to, some people charging high Some of these bombings might have fees for performing migration work and The Federal Department of Immigration been motivated by international political reports that payments were made to and Ethnic Affairs has cautioned that differences affecting community groups corrupt officers of the department. attitudes to race had been aroused in a in Australia or by international terrorism. The ‘Review 84' report also reveals that way which could prejudice a continued The report said that despite intensive it took the department the equivalent of acceptance of a multicultural Australia. efforts in 1983-84, the size of the illegal 20.33 work years to deal with its Freedom However, the department said there immigrant population in Australia was not of Information requests — at an estimated appeared to be general public support for reduced. salary cost of $561,200. the strong stand taken by the Federal The amount of non-salary spending Government in retaining a non- involved was $79,550, with the discriminatory immigration policy. department collecting only $135.50 from The department’s annual report charges levied under the Act. acknowledges that immigration became The book deals with the department’s an issue of major public contention in activities up to June 1984 and contains 1983-84. information about everything from It says it has been criticised for having refugees to settlers and illegal an immigration program which gives immigration. A total of 69,805 people strong preference to migrants from Asian came to Australia during 1983-84 as countries; for having an anti-British or anti- “On the information available, the "settlers arrivals”, a figure which was less European bias; and for not being sensitive department continues to accept that than Government’s original approved to unemployment in Australia. 50,000 or more people are in the country program of between 80,000 and 90,000. The report warns that some groups illegally, and that 6000 to 10,000 people Difficulties in achieving the initial have been able to arouse public become illegal immigrants each year,” the program, says the review, included a consciousness of race and ethnic report said. falling interest among eligible migrants in background in a way which could It said that figures suggest that up to “traditional” source countries, combined prejudice the continued community 60 P.C. of the illegal immigrants were with. Australia’s unemployment situation. acceptance of the multiracial and working. multicultural nature of Australian Society. The Immigration Department upgraded “The department, along with other training of its enforcement officers during Commonwealth and State agencies, has 1983-84 in an effort to combat what it sought to counter this hostility by urging describes in the report as “continuing the development of a cohesive and immigration malpractice". harmonious multicultural society,” the It said the department was acting to report says. take its investigations branch to full “The obvious targets for prejudice strength — from 13 in July 1983 to 37. have been the newly arrived and Three officers were recruited to conspicuous refugees and family reunion specialise in document fraud work. migrants from Indo-China. Graffiti have “ By building up its knowledge of the multiplied on city and suburban walls, and types of documents most likely to be used copies of a cruel letter continue to be sent fraudulently and the nature of counterfeits to householders, purporting to billet a or alterations made, the department In all, 62,350 migrants and refugees refugee family with them. expects to further develop its systems and visas in 1983-84. Family migrants and The report also indicated that Australia procedures,” the report said. refugees made up 70 per cent of settler will crack down on illegal immigrants this Figures given in the report show that arrivals and 36,739 migrants were given year and rackets aimed at helping them. it carried out 65 investigations of visas under family categories.

Page 50 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 “ However, the number of refugees places instead of the 6,000 to be granted Mr Hurford said he was confident the resettled in Australia will fall in 1985/86, resident status this year,” Mr Hurford program reflected Australian values and reflecting both the reducing outflow from said. public opinion. Vietnam and the Government's desire to But he warned that he wanted to see “ It follows an extensive program of increase family reunions direct from that that figure fall. public consultation, including with the country,” Mr Hurford said. “The change-of-status provision is too States, community groups, trade unions often abused by visitors at the expense and business,” Mr Hurford said. For the first time the overall program of legitimate applicants waiting in (Further details of these changes are target includes people seeking to overseas queues,” he said. available from DIEA.) change to permanent resident status "Given a better understanding of after arriving in Australia. “ I intend to ensure that only the most genuine change-of-status cases are what's required, the onus will be on "To meet a backlog of claims, we've considered in Australia. Others will have overseas applicants to make their had to allow 8,000 change-of-status to go home and apply in the proper way.” cases.

REFUGEE/SHP: DETAILED BREAKDOWN

Funded Refugee/SHP* 1984/85 1984/85 1985/86 (Program) (Projected outcome)

• Indochinese 8,000 7,200 6,000 • East Europeans 1,150 1,350 1,500 • Latin Americans 1,450 1,750 1,500 • Middle Easterners 875 550 750 • Africans 375 175 200 • Other 150 5 50

SUBTOTAL 12,000 11,030 10,000 UNFUNDED SHP 2,000 **3,500 2,000 TOTAL 14,000 14,530 12,000 CONTINGENCY RESERVE 2,000 2,000

* Passage assistance is provided to both ** Includes 950 Lebanese humanitarian refugees and SHP entrants where entrants, persecution is demonstrated. Refugee Policy: a Canadian Comparison

New Policy Reasons for an Increased Refugee Commitment The federal government has determined that it would be • the economic recession has resulted in a reduced appropriate to increase the 1985 level for government- commitment to refugee resettlement by the world assisted refugees to 11,000 from 10,000 which had been community in general. identified for 1984. In addition, the federal government is • many refugee groups, which would normally be helped prepared to consider — at any time during 1985 — proposals through local resettlement or given material aid pending to increase the global level if sudden and unforeseen repatriation, have been in interim situations for a long time, circumstances create a new outflow or displacement of thus increasing the pressure for third-country resettlement persons in need of resettlement in Canada. as a durable solution to their plight; and • fewer countries are engaging in refugee resettlement, and Themes of Consultation those who are continuing to provide these opportunities Two themes emerged from the 1984 constitutions with private- are doing less than in previous years because large waves sector groups in Canada: First, since the worst effects of the of asylum-seekers, and others using this route to gain recession are over, more refugees can be resettled without admission to other countries for reasons of economic hardship to or the displacement of needy Canadians. Second, betterment, continue to flow to developed countries, government allocations should be more closely managed to inundating humanitarian support mechanisms in both the ensure the fulfillment of announcedallocations. private and public sectors.

Government Sponsored Refugee Admissions Privately Funded Claims in Canada Total Special Measures Planned 1984 Actual 1984 Planned 1985 Refugee Admissions (RSAC) Admissions Landings Total

Eastern Europe ( 2.300) 2,649 ( 2.200) 1.558 67 4.274 2.893 7.167 Indochina ( 3,000) 3,013 ( 3.700) 1,647 12 4.672 — 4.672 Africa ( 1,000) 653 ( 1.000) 170 64 867 — 887 Middle East ( 800) 296 ( 800) 388 100 784 621 1.405 Latin America \ 2,500) 2,164 ( 3.000) 13? 348 2.651 690 3.341 O thers ( 400) 166 ( 200) 174 35 375 32 407 Reserves ( 100)

TOTAL (10,000) 8,941 (11,000) 4.076 626 13,643 4,236 17,879

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 49 1985/1986 MIGRATION PROGRAM Immigration is expected to increase “Although the individual changes are • Giving overseas applicants better next financial year and boost Australia’s marginal, together they constitute a information about migration growing economy. significantly improved immigration requirements. Announcing the 1985/1986 Migration package," Mr Hurford said. • Cutting out double handling by program, early in June, the Minister for “The new program is set in line with Australian Immigration offices and immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Mr Chris the capacity of the Australian overseas posts. Hurford, said the Government planned community and the economy to absorb • Replacing job offers for most family- to increase to 84,000 the number of change.” reunion migrants with an migrants targeted to settle in Australia Mr Hurford said the bulk of the employability test, and abolishing in 1985/1986. increase in immigration was expected formal business proposals from This is a marginal increase on the in business and skilled migration. That business migrants. equivalent figure of 80,000 planned for target would be 18,500 compared with • Simpler checking and verifying this financial year but is a bigger jump the estimated 9,000 visas issued in procedures. from the 70,000 now expected to be 1984/85. “Standards of service have dropped granted permanent residence in “The economy will benefit from a in recent years under the combined 1984/85. bigger and more flexible business weight of more enquiries and time- Features of the 1985/86 program migration program,” Mr Hurford said. consuming appeals, available now include: “ It will also benefit from a slight under administrative law reforms," Mr • More emphasis on fine tuning a increase in skilled migrants who will Hurford said. growing economy by admitting meet short and medium-term labour “ By streamlining procedures we'll business migrants and skilled market needs and from more accurate provide better service and clear the migrants who can ease particular assessments of the job prospects of backlogs that have frustrated not only shortages, such as the current family-sponsored brothers, sisters and migrant applicants and their sponsors shortage of nurses. non-dependent children. but also Immigration staff. • Continued commitment to reuniting “These changes will require “The stronger emphasis on the immediate families and admitting adjustments to the points system of economic impact of migration in the genuine refugees. selection, especially employment program would not affect our • Simpler and faster processing of criteria.” commitment to close family reunion and applications. Reuniting close relatives would refugee resettlement,” Mr Hurford • Easier access for former Australian account for 26,000 visas next year, added. citizens and residents, such as slightly down on the 1984/85 program women who married American target, but up on the 23,000 visas Mr Hurford said Australia would servicemen. actually issued. continue to make a significant The policy and procedure changes Immigration procedures will be contribution to solving the world refugee will take effect on July 1, 1985. streamlined by: problem.

MIGRATION PROGRAM: 1984/85 EXPECTED OUTCOME AND 1985/86 PROPOSED (PERSONS VISAED) 1984/85

Category Announced Expected 1985/86 Program (a) Outcome (b) Program Family Migration Sub-categories A & B 28,000 23,000 26,000 Sub-category C 14,000 16,500 16,000 Sub-total 42,000 39,500 42,000

Skilled Labour and Business Migration Skilled labour 7,500 4,000 8,000 Employer nominees 4,000 3,700 6,000 Business migrants 4,000 1,600 4,500 Independent & Special 500 700 1,500 Sub-total 16,000 10,000 20,000

Refugees and Special Humanitarian Programs 14,000 12,000 14,550 Contingency Reserve 2,000 2,000

72-74,000 64,050 74-76,000 Change of Status 6,000 Total Permanent residence outcome 70,050 82-84,000 (includes est. 8,000 change of status approvals)

(a) Announced in Parliament 30 May 1984. (b) Estimates: based on visas issued in the period July 1984 to February 1985.

Page 48 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 In addition to the role of CES as an influence • Information about labour market programs on low migrant participation in labour market should be available in community languages. programs, Reducing the risk identifies the • The Commonwealth Employment Service eligibility criteria and targetting of programs; should provide adequate language resources their competing objectives; their relevance to to service the needs of its migrant clients. migrant needs and aspirations and the awareness of their availability as major factors • All labour market programs should respond influencing migrant participation. The programs to the special needs of migrant clients. are examined in the light of their capacity and • Migrant groups should be able to participate suitability to meet the needs and aspirations of fully in community-based programs for the migrant youth. unemployed. Reducing the risk contains 34 recommen­ dations which seek to establish a number of key • Migrant groups should be represented on all principles for providing labour market programs advisory committees related to labour market and services. programs and services. • Eligibility for labour market program • There should be effective program participation should be based on assessment monitoring and evaluation — including the of risk of prolonged and recurrent unemploy­ collection of data on birthplace, residency ment. and language proficiency. • Assistance should be based on assessment of individual need. The conclusions and recommendations of the • All labour market programs should provide review are presented in Reducing the risk: access to English language training for those Overview which is available from the Institute who need it, and provide greater opportuni­ (300 Queen Street, Melbourne, 3000) at a price ties for skills training. of $3.

HOMI SERVICES

CHOMI LIBRARY CHOMI COMMUNITY EDUCATION SERVICES The CHOMI LIBRARY offers: CHOMI can assist with the conduct of: • specialised search services • conferences • annotations, listings and other • courses bibliographic services • workshops • seminars All at competitive consultancy rates. by: • providing speakers • organising the event The CHOMI Library is open to the public at the following times: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm. • providing reading guides Thursday: 1.00 pm to 7.00 pm. • providing literature Friday: 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. • assembling kits

For information about these CHOMI services contact: The Co-ordinator 1HOMI CLEARING CHOMI HOUSE ON MIGRATION 133 Church Street, Richmond, Australia 3121 ISSUES can help you Telephone (03) 428 4948 4

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 47 “She said she couldn't do it, she didn’t When language want to do it and then she said why didn’t Police terms are I find out, even though she knew I couldn’t divides a family — and because of the language problem not racist: I don't know whether she said ’no’ Mr Emrah Ozturk, his wife Freide and because she didn’t understand me exactly spokesman their three children, of Mona Street, and she resents that and is embarrassed and wants to avoid the whole situation." Auburn, are a family divided by language. Police who called immigrants ‘wogs’, The Ozturks eldest girl, Oznur, 19, who Mr and Mrs Ozturk, who came here ‘slopeheads’ or ‘gooks’ were not is at university, spent her early years in from Turkey almost 16 years ago, speak necessarily racist, said the ethnic liaison Turkey and is fluent in both languages. little English. Their daughter Ozgur, 16, officer with the NSW police, Inspector Les Having learnt from the experience with has only a limited command of Turkish. Thorgood. Ozgur, the family is making a special effort Parents and child, able to converse “ It’s a convenient method of identifying to ensure their son, Ozen, 7, retains his freely only on simple, mundane topics, groups of people,” he said. mother tongue. find themselves culturally in different The inspector was commenting on Mr Ozturk, who is president of the worlds. letters he had received, criticising Sydney Turkish People’s House, said: “We The normal tensions of family life are policemen from Cabramatta who referred did not expect this problem when we magnified by mutual incomprehension as to locals as gooks, wogs and slopeheads came to Australia; we were unprepared.” the Ozturks battle with the every day side in a recent article in a Sydney newspaper. of Australian multi-culturalism. In the Lebanese-Australian family of Mr Saadaiiah Turk, and his wife Salma, of Inspector Thorgood said Australians The Ozturks are not an isolated case. were prone to give nicknames meant to Riverview, the language gulf separates Community leaders and teachers say be affectionate not derogatory — and the grandmother from grandchildren. programs to teach the children of NSW police were Australian. When Mrs Turk’s mother, Mrs Fardous immigrants their parents’ languages are “ I have a very good friend,” said Tabalo, arrived recently in Australia from poorly funded and grossly inadequate. Inspector Thorgood, “who told me he Lebanon she immediately encountered Although children learn their parents' could never understand why everybody communication problems with her five language in early childhood, once they objected to being called racial names Australian-born grandchildren! start school, English soon replaces their because he felt quite comfortable with Speaking through an interpreter, she mother tongue. Speaking English in the being called a dago". playground, with their friends and even in said: “ In Lebanon it is usual for a the home among themselves, they soon grandmother to tell her grandchildren The Age 6/12/84 forget their native language. stories, but I cannot do it because they Mrs Ozturk, speaking through an cannot understand me fully.” interpreter, said: “ I get angry and very sad The family’s eldest daughter, Sue, 15, because over here it is so different and is studying French because her school because of the language difference it is does not offer Arabic. so hard for me to be as a mother should “Sometimes my parents go out and rent be. Sometimes I ask them to tell me the Arabic videos and we can’t understand meaning of an English word in Turkish and half the words and we ask them all the they can’t do it.” time what is happening and they get She told how, on a recent shopping trip, frustrated because they want to watch the she asked her daughter to find out if an movie,” she said. item could be returned if necessary. Sydney Morning Herald 25/1/85

CHOMI has outlets in Adelaide and Sydney:

Multicultural Centre, Adelaide Migrant Resources Sydney College of Advanced Education Centre (P.O. Box 129, Newtown, 2042) 122 Gouger St., cnr. Missenden Rd. and Campbell St., Adelaide 5001 Newtown N.S.W. 2042 (08) 212 1622 (02) 516 2966 ext 376/329

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 53 Migrant nursing home patients ignored: study MULTICULTURAL

Elderly nursing home patients who do not speak English are often ignored and AUSTRALIA mistakenly regarded as senile, according to a study by the Phillip Institute of Technology in Melbourne. PAPERS Mr Desmond Cahill, senior lecturer in multicultural studies at the institute, said patients who did not speak English were MAP 33 $2.00 unable to express their feelings or talk about the problems related to their Racist Propaganda And The Immigration Debate illnesses. Lorna Lippmann “They are unable to communicate with other patients and they sit in their chairs, waiting for the end to come,” he said. MAP 34 $2.50 The institute based its findings on an Popular Culture, Knowledge Construction And Australian eight-month study of 19 nursing home Ethnic Minorities patients who did not speak English. Peter Lumb Mr Desmond said the study found that because of the language barrier and the inability of staff and immigrant patients to MAP 35 $3.00 communicate with each other, the Mediterranean Women In Australia: An Overview patients suffered from isolation and depression and nursing staff often ignored Gill Bottomley their needs. Hostility and resentment were generated on both sides. MAP 36 $3.50 The study also found no provision was Immigration, Citizenship and Human Rights In Australia made for the dietary needs of the Baden Powell immigrant patients, even though all aged people are very sensitive to major changes in their food intake. MAP 37 $3.50 Mr Desmond said some staff were Determinants Of Ethnic Group Vitality In Australia openly critical when more suitable food Alan Hodge was brought for the patient by relatives. He said patients also complained of lack of respect from staff. MAP 38 $2.00 One man said: "I am old enough to be Greek Australians: A Question Of Survival In Multicultural their grandfather and they still keep calling Australia me by my first name”. J. J. Smolicz It was normal to call all Italian women patients “ Mamma” in a somewhat derogatory fashion instead of the more formal and courteous “Signora”. MAP 39 $5.00 The nursing staff complained their Ethnic Studies — A Base Paper caring services were usually not P \N. Matthews (ed.) appreciated by immigrant patients whose behaviour was described as demanding, aggressive and abusive. MAP 40 $2.00 Mr Desmond said some staff referred Making Our Immigration Policies Less Vulnerable to them as “crazy new Australians” and "those ethnic characters”. J. Power The study recommended the setting up of more ethnically based nursing homes and ethnically based wards in geriatric institutions so that the linguistic, dietary and recreational needs of the ethnic aged 133 CHURCH STREET could be more easily met. RICHMOND VIC. It also called for the introduction of AUSTRALIA 3121 transcultural nursing units into all nursing courses. TEL (03) 428 4948

M e r c u r y 27/2/85

Page 54 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 CHOMI PUBLICATIONS A little ray in Sunshine CHOMI BIBLIOGRAPHIES Schools are among Victoria’s biggest Selected and annotated listings ol documentation on bridge builders. Increasingly, schools are specific topics. serving to link fragmented communities; Specialised tools lor institutions and serious students of to bring people from different ethnic affairs. backgrounds and different cultures together. Location ol documents given. Certainly this is the case at Marian Price: Vanes wiili publication. College in West Sunshine, where this Catholic girls school has become vigorously involved in its community. West Sunshine is one of Melbourne’s urban wastelands. Geographically MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA PAPERS separate from Sunshine, it has few well- Occasional papers on aspects of Australia’s Multicultural located facilities: no town hall, no Society to stimulate discussion and dialogue. swimming pool, no library — so its Contributions lo this series from individuals and institutions/ ethnically diverse citizens lack organisations are welcome. opportunities to meet. Price: Varies with publication Marian College has set out to change this. Among the classes it offers, for example, is one for migrant women who are isolated. Women from Greek, Yugoslav, Italian and other backgrounds meet at the school and, in the process of learning to speak English, filling in forms, CHOMI REPRINTS and coping with Victorian bureaucracy, Reprints of selected articles and papers presenting they also overcome cultural barriers. up-todate and relevant information on Students, too, are encouraged to look • multicultural education, health, welfare, community outside the school, to learn from and relations, refugees, ethnic background, etc. share experiences with other members of Price: Generally between 20c $2 U0 the community. Girls visit local primary schools to read stories they have written to the younger children; the choir and band perform at shopping centres and old people’s homes; year 10 girls carry out social investigations relating to employment; and there is even a CHOMI MONOGRAPHS computer link-up with f

T h e A g e 16/10/84 HOMI CLEARING HOUSE ON MIGRATION ISSUES

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 55 high levels of unemployment, live in urban Lebanese male employment was Study on ghettoes and are heavily dependent on lowest among the 15 to 19 years age social welfare payments," he said. group (59 per cent) and among those Lebanese Dr Humphrey said that before the 40 years or over (49 per cent). Lebanese civil war in 1975 the Lebanese Most Lebanese reported they had Immigrants community’s image was fairly neutral. experienced discrimination in "The continued violence and political employment. The study found they had acquired a Lebanese migrants have joined the chaos in Lebanon, however, transformed the Australian environment to a more negative stereotype of being aggressive, Indo-Chinese and Australian Aborigines as reluctant to work and prone to industrial prejudiced one, suspicious of Lebanese a stigmatised minority, according to a accidents. survey into the employment and migrants and their propensity for violence and religious antagonisms," Dr Humphrey Almost half the employed Lebanese settlement of Lebanese migrants in worked in factories or as labourers and said. Sydney. earned less than $200 per week with the According to the study funded by the He said the Islamic revolution in Iran mean weekly disposible income being Department of Immigration and Ethnic in 1978 added further prejudice towards $14.50. Affairs, unemployment figures among the Muslim Lebanese, the largest Muslim Although the current employment Lebanese have been consistently three to population in Australia. picture for Lebanese women was four times higher than the national Dr Humphrey said the survey found that depressed, Dr Humphrey said there were average during the past eight years. recently-arrived migrants were indications that the low female The latest figures put Lebanese disadvantaged in the labour market participation in paid work would change unemployment at 32.5 per cent compared because of low education levels, lack of in the future. to the national average of 9.8 per cent. English, participation in unskilled Women born in Australia have a occupations, and large households with significantly higher proportion of The study was conducted by young children. employment than those born in Lebanon. Dr Michael Humphrey, a tutor in Dr Humphrey’s researchers found that Among the recommendations the anthropology and comparative sociology age structure of families plus household survey has made have been the at Macquarie University and the chairman size were adding to Lebanese difficulties. development and funding of bilingual of the Middle East Research and (Arab and English) teachers and pre­ Information Association. In the survey, which took a sample of some 300 households involving schools, welfare workers for family, Dr Humphrey said that during periods 1,600 people, 53 per cent of migrants were marriage and court counselling. of economic recession when competition under 20 years, 39 per cent were under The most disturbing aspect of the study for jobs increased, discrimination and 15 and 13 per cent under five years. was the lack of English language skills racism often became more explicit. among children under five. Although born "The Lebanese have considerably in Australia, less than half were reported "Throughout the Western industrial fewer people of working age and there­ as speaking English. countries, poor and disadvantaged fore potentially employable,” said immigrant minorities are experiencing Dr Humphrey. “ M e r c u r y " Hobart, Tas. 24/11/84

History of the Maltese in Australia In recent years, various books have centrate on the period prior to 1949, Sydney. "The interviews are a been published about Australia's when the Australian and Maltese fascinating and important source of in­ ethnic groups and their contributions governments signed an Assisted formation,” he says. “There are only a to Australia’s national development. Passage Agreement. few of the pre-1949 settlers still Now, Barry York, 33, of the University The first Maltese settler in Australia, available for interview, but their stories of NSW, is researching the role of the as far as the records indicate, was are vital. They are the Malta Story in Maltese. Antonio Azzopardi, who settled in Australia." Barry is of Maltese descent on his Melbourne in 1838. The Azzopardi Barry speaks very highly of the father’s side. His dad, Loreto, was born family ran a newsagency in the heart Maltese people, describing them as at Sliema in 1918. Barry’s grand­ of Melbourne at the turn of the cen­ diligent, sincere, extremely hospitable, parents were from the sister island of tury. Antonio named one of his grand­ and unpretentious. These qualities Malta, known as Gozo. "York” is not children, Valletta, after the capital have made them highly valued set­ a Maltese name. Barry's father chang­ city of Malta. Barry would be delighted tlers. Census figures (1981) reveal that ed his name from Mejla^, while sta­ to make contact with any descendants Australia has 57,001 Maltese-born tioned with the Royal Air Force in Lon­ of the Azzopardi's. people. 27,756 are in Victoria; all but don after the War. a thousand of whom are in Melbourne. He is also interested in old The largest single community in Vic­ Barry, who received his Master of photographs, of pre-1949 vintage, as toria is at Sunshine (6,895), followed Arts degree, with merit, from the his thesis will eventually be published by Keilor (4,242), Altona (1,797), and University of Sydney, is proud of his as a book. He is also searching for Footscray (505). Maltese connection. And so he should copies of an early Maltese com­ Barry York is very keen to hear from be. His father was the first Maltese- munity newspaper, “The Maltese any Maltese who came to Australia born Mayor of an Australian city. Loreto Settler", which commenced in 1946. before 1949. He would also like to hear was Mayor of Brunswick in 1971. So far, Barry's research has taken from the descendants of the early set­ “The history of the Maltese in him to Canberra, Melbourne, tlers, or anyone else who might be able Australia has been overlooked for too Wollongong, and Broken Hill. He is off to help him. long,” says Barry. "The Maltese con­ to Mackay, Queensland, shortly. He His postal address is: tribution to this country is a significant has spent much time doing interviews Box 53 Holme Building one, dating back at least to the turn of with early settlers who live in the Sydney University the century.” Barry’s research will con­ Blacktown/Pendle Hill region of NSW 2006

Page 56 — Migration Action Vol. Vli No. 3 1985 What the academics tell us

Those from the Third World were a than in other countries, such as Britain or Immigrants and heterogeneous group and on average they the Western European countries which received higher incomes than all other had 'guest workers'. integration into groups, including native-born Australians. One in three adults in Australia was The results are largely pre-Vietnamese born overseas, making Australia the the Australian immigration and there has been a rapid second-most multicultural society in the and concentrated migration from Vietnam world, surpassed only by Israel. in the last couple of years, so the results Dr Evans believes that an important society from the Third World are again a little conclusion of her study is that it shows more heterogeneous as the refugees are up the distinct immigrant streams, Asian-born immigrants, predominantly a mixed group,' Dr Evans said. depending on whether people came as a composed of the ‘international middle It was also important to note that the child or as an adult. class', are among those more likely to be Vietnamese were a very young group, with 'Immigrants brought as children, who able to integrate quickly into Australian an average age of 22, and they had been develop Australian friendships and have society, according to Dr Mariah Evans, a in Australia for only two years at the time an Australian education, tend to look Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology, of the census. Third World immigrants in (statistically) very much like Australians. Research School of Social Sciences, Australia were in the main very highly This is partly because they get as much Australian National University (ANU), educated, held very high status jobs, and schooling as Australians — and in Canberra. She has produced some basic earned large incomes. comparison to Mediterranean adults, facts which she believes are lacking in the Their family patterns are very similar much more,' she added. current debate on immigration in to those of native-born Australians’, 'My impression from the data is that the Australia. Dr Evans said. second generation children of immigrant Dr Evans began her research seven She said immigrants were more likely parents will be well integrated, and that months ago as part of a two-year-long to be working class if they were British project for assessing the social patterns Asians will be the highest achievers. than if they were of Asian stock — in ‘Asians who come here have correctly of immigrants in Australia and has which case they would stand a slightly figured out that the way to get ahead for recently published her first paper, N e w better chance of being middle class. their children is to send them to school Blood: A Social Portrait of Australia’s Generally, Australia had sustained an and make them stay at school.' Recent Immigrants. extraordinary level of immigration with The future elites in Australia would no She has used an 'age standardisation’ relatively little ethnic conflict. The process technique to control the effects of age on doubt contain the descendants of today's of integration of immigrants from places Asian immigrants. the social patterns being studied and to which were culturally very different bring out the differences between seemed to have gone more smoothly here ANU Report 6/6/84 immigrant groups. A source of data has been the public use sample of unit records, which were for the first time taken for the 1981 census and which enable a distinction to be made between immigrants brought to Australia as young children, or as adults. Dr Evans said that this distinction was Australian Multicultural Society: particularly crucial for the Mediterranean immigrants. Those who came as adults were found to be quite different from other immigrants and from native-born Australians, but those who came as Identity, Communication, Decision making children were very similar to native-born Australians. In general it was found that immigrants from Mediterranean countries were the most distinctive of all groups. They had (ed) Donald Phillips and Jim Houston relatively poor English-speaking and occupational skills, low income levels and Drummond a more family-oriented way of life than other immigrant groups and native-born Australians. These differences only $19.95 Available from applied to the Mediterranean immigrants CHOMI who came to Australia as adults. It was found that immigrants from 133 Church St., Richmond English-speaking countries and from Northern and Western Europe were Vic. 3121 generally similar to one another and to native-born Australians.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 57 Migrant fertility Australia’s population — growing but slowing rate settles close to the average

Fears that Australia is becoming “Asianised” are ill-founded but there are indications we are becoming a more pluralistic society, a study by a Macquarie University academic has shown. Associate Professor Farhat Yusuf, a demographer, says the fertility of most immigrant groups in Australia is lower than that of the Australian-born population Source; Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Demographic Statittlca according to a study of birth registrations Q uarterly, various issues. and the 1981 population census. “There is evidence that the fertility of most European migrants has converged over the last decade to that of the The lower fertility of Chinese, Indian predominantly optimistic outlook on their Australian-born,” Professor Yusuf said. and, to a lesser extent, Hispanic groups future by parents and children in both “The exceptions are the Maltese and the was due mainly to the selective groups. Relief at having made it is the Dutch. immigration process which tended to basic human emotion they have in “The Maltese birth rates are influenced favor non-European immigrants who were common, in spite of profound cultural by their religious, cultural and socio­ educated and more likely to belong to the differences. This optimism was economic backgrounds, while the Dutch more affluent classes in their home reasonably justified. Many of the in Australia have prolonged the pro- countries. immigrants were already in skilled or natalist values that were reflected in the “When people migrate to Australia they white collar jobs; their offspring were Netherlands earlier this century." bring with them the attitudes of their continuing their education and hoped to Until the 1960s, Holland was a countries of origin,” he said. “ But as time do even better. demographic anomally in Western passes they take on the social behavior However, the parents were caught in Europe. It had the largest population of their adopted country and their the classic first-generation immigrant density in the world, the highest natality breeding rate becomes similar to that of dilemma — how could they exploit new rate and one of the lowest mortality rates. Australians." opportunities fully without loss of ethnic Yet even the Dutch are moving toward He said it was too early to draw any identity? In both cases, the parents wanted the Australian rate. The 1981 census long-term conclusions about Indo-Chinese children to marry within the ethnic group showed each successive wave of Dutch immigration. and, although the children expected this migrants to Australia had reduced the These immigrants had grown from less would be the case, it was more with an differential between the birth rates of than 5000 in 1976 to slightly more than air of resignation that commitment to people born in Australia and Holland. In 50,000 in 1981, but this high growth was ethnic identity. Both Russian and 1971 the rate was 20 Australian to caused by immigration not by births. Vietnamese adolescents expected and wanted to see themselves as Russian and 35 Dutch per 1000 births and in 1981, 16 A u s tr a lia n 24/10/84 to 18 per 1000. Vietnamese A m e ric a n s . Professor Yusuf said the higher birth So there seem to be u n iv e rs a l features rate among women from the Middle East A lot in which immigrants share because of their and Indo-China was probably a common experience, and these manifestation of their reproductive common apparently transcend any p a r tic u la r behavior before their arrival in Australia. features an immigrant group possesses. He has found that Italian, Greek and Immigration has been a basic feature of Yugoslav women in the 24 to 34-year-old American social development. A study in age group have an average issue higher Chicago by Rita Simon compares the than their Australian counterparts but the experiences of Russian Jews and situation is completely reversed in older Vietnamese, and she finds that being age groups. immigrants means that these two highly “The fact that these Southern European dissimilar ethnic groups have a lot in women born in 1946 or earlier appeared common (Ethnic and Racial Studies, less fertile than Australian-born women vol 6, No. 4, page 492). could result from their migration at a Simon obtained a sample of 50 mothers comparatively younger age and their and adolescent daughters and 50 fathers exposure to contraceptive practices and and adolescent sons in each ethnic group, the family norms present in Australian from the various Chicago “settling” society," he said. agencies. They were interviewed by Again, religious and cultural factors native-speaking interviewers. In both could explain the higher fertility of cases, "push" factors have been the Maltese, Dutch, Vietnamese and Arab dominant reason for leaving (to say the women, he said. least), and this perhaps underlies the

Page 58 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 REVIEWS

Populate and Perish?

The Stresses of Population Growth in Australia Edited by Robert Birrell, Douglas Hill and Jon Nevill Fontana, Sydney & Australian Conservation Foundation, Melbourne 1984. R.R.P. $8.95

One’s first reaction to this collection of There should be a refugee intake of inflation; but the argument to that effect fourteen essays by authors almost all of “ 10,000 or so” — less than the present on p. 178 is dubious. Immigration probably whom incline to an anti-immigration figure. Allowing for emigration, net worsens the balance of payments, but position is pleasure that their area of immigration could then be kept "near with a floating currency this immediately disagreement with most readers of zero". Efforts should also be made to lowers the value of the Australian dollar Migration Action is not even larger. But reduce demand per capita on natural and helps exporters, hence Mr Nevill's disagree one must — with aspects of resources. fear “that short term mineral exports, and some contributors’ approach, and with the long-term agricultural exports are being intake policy suggested in the concluding The book includes some fascinating seriously threatened by immigration chapter, which is written by the three chapters about the impact of population intakes” is unwarranted. editors. on renewable and non-renewable The chapters by Ross King and (again), The first paper, co-authored by two of resources and on “amenity environments". Robert Birrell on population growth and them (Birrell and Hill), sets the stage. They On the economic side, David Pope's inequality are particularly worth reading. deplore the harmful effects of the likely chapter, “ The Labour Market and Perhaps there could be more recognition growth in Australia's population till the end Employment Prospects”, is excellent. Jon of the variety of jobs opening up in those of the century. Their wish to lower fertility Nevill’s contribution, “ Population Growth tertiary industries destined to expand as makes them question the present graded and the Economy”, brings together a wide manufacturing declines. There is also family allowances, which are bigger per range of theoretical and factual material. undue emphasis on new migrants settling child for successive children (up to the He is right in saying that a bigger either in inner suburbs or in bleak outer fifth). Instead they favour “a means-testing population means less agricultural suburbs where property values decline in approach", which is sensible enough, products and minerals for export andfor real terms. Many Sydney Indo-Chinese though benefits are very modest and that worse land must be used and more have settled in Fairfield municipality, those for families that are both large and costly resource sources tapped. where the trend of house prices and rents poor should be increased. Immigration may also tend to increase has been undramatic. Birrell and Hill accept that the age structure of Australia’s population and the difficulty of changing fertility levels mean that there will be a net natural increase of “at least another three million Australians . . . over the next few decades.” The book focusses on immigration essentially because trying to limit it offers the best prospect of slowing down the growth of numbers overall. In the “Conclusions”, Birrell, Hill and Nevill admit that “there is no argument against Australians bringing in immediate family members, spouses, dependent children, parents and fiancees. This could be kept to an annual intake of 20,000 or less, especially if other migrant programs are cut." The writers would add a ’compassionate’ category for genuine humanitarian cases involving other relatives, “e.g. where the relative is the last remaining family member in the country of origin". Otherwise, brothers and sisters would not be admitted.

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 59 However, the treatment of migration Settlement zones 1981, and median annual rainfall economics by most contributors to Populate and Perish? is questionable less in respect of detail than through their not looking at how migration affects w o rld production and the w o rld environment. There is one simple argument for immigration to Australia which should have been used more. (If it had been, Katherine Betts would have acknowledged it in the roundup, “Themes in the debate”, which forms a section of her useful chapter.) The argument is, that when migrants move from a poor country to a rich one, world production almost always rises. Admittedly, some professional people in poor countries can raise production more, and can certainly meet more urgent needs, by staying H I Average 150 persons per square kilometre where they are. (There are also H H I Average 7.5 persons per square kilometre conceptual difficulties about talking of ‘world production’.) But these g i l l Average 2 persons per square kilometre considerations do not falsify the broad ("... 'I Average 0.1 persons per square kilometre generalisation that output rises when Sourca: Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and Division of National Mapping. labour or entrepreneurs move towards an 'economy where more capital and more natural resources are used per worker. Conservation can protect Australia from It is said, therefore, that as regards Nowhere in Populate and Perish? is one undesired effects of population growth, refugees, Dr Day should only suggest that word said to the effect that migration to “probably the most appropriate course" Australia reduces pressure on the including effects of wider family reunion. Why not sell the idea to newly arrived is to take four steps none of which environments the migrants leave. In these includes migration to Australia. One step places — as conservationists have often migrants by pointing this out? The most pitiful fact recorded in the would be to forestall the creation of shown — the impact of population on resources has been and will be book is David Mercer’s report that even refugee situations. Another would be devastating. those parts of Australia Which were set “helping to provide for the material, Nor does the higher consumption of a aside as ‘national parks’ are now in poor health, and emotional needs of persons shape through too little being spent on who have become refugees”. If seen as migrant who comes to Australia and thus maintenance. Yet some level of outlay per an alternative to resettlement, this can only raises his standard of life necessarily mean dispensing aid in refugee camps, cause more environmental damage than person for this worthy purpose is publicly acceptable. A bigger population should many of which are like the camps on the if he had stayed put. Such damage is not Thai-Kampuchean border: dangerous, directly proportionate to volume of therefore mean that more funds are found consumption. In any case, harm to rural for conservation. Those parts of Australia overcrowded, endangering relations or urban environments in the Third and that remain national parks should benefit between two countries, and imposing on Fourth Worlds is peculiarly serious in its in consequence. residents a life which is nine-tenths Those of us who want immigration — human consequences. parasitic idleness. at least at the current modest level — The third step Dr Day suggests is To oppose migration from poor could make more use of this argument “assisting in efforts to relocate refugees countries in the name of conservation and of the parallel one about immigation’s or, ideally, to re-establish them in their comes close to saying that poor people effect on overseas aid. Undoubtedly it place of origin”. Everyone prefers should stay poor so that our environment raises total output, whatever its effect on voluntary repatriation if it is safe and — though not theirs — can be protected. output per head. Like any other donor genuinely voluntary. But this fourth step By similar reasoning, some Australians people, Australians only give away a small would limit Australia to being a “port of now in poverty should be kept in poverty share of their national product; but the first resort”. All this means that Australia so as to inhibit the demands they might bigger that product, the larger the volume should do the things for refugees that even make on Australian resources if they of aid that is likely to be transferred. Since Japan will do, but should try to foist the became prosperous. hardly any country from which we take task of resettlement on to other countries. Unlike the peoples of poorer countries, migrants gives as much per head in Which are these other countries, and why we in the developed world have incomes foreign aid as we do, it follows that should they think that their social and high enough to make it re la tiv e ly easy to immigration to Australia increases the environmental problems are less grave revise our farming, tree-cutting and water­ total aid flowing to poorer countries. than Australia's? using. We can certainly do without second Because these aspects of immigration No population or environmental policy homes. The large membership of are overlooked, the chapters by Lincoln can be satisfactorily justified without an organisations favouring conservation, and Day and Richard Routley are somewhat explicit statement of ethical premises, the voting power apparently mobilised at disappointing. With splendid candour hence the chapter by Dr Routley, a Senior the 1983 election, both suggest that Dr Day admits that one argument against Fellow in Philosophy at Australian National policies involving a measure of sacrifice immigration — that we could do more for University, deserves respect. But one can might be acceptable. It would seem a pity poorer peoples in other ways — would differ from his ethic; and one must regret to follow the editors of this book by only be cogent if more were being done that his attack on immigration as a means forswearing one argument in favour of abroad and to conserve the national of helping “humans who are in a worse such policies, which is that they would estate at home. Indeed, considering that plight elsewhere in the world" is written help ensure that newcomers will not immigration increases overseas aid, the as though there had never been a careful damage (though they will, inevitably, argument could be challenged even if aid statement on the net economic impact of modify) the environment they enter. were more extensive. admitting those refugees who will take

Page 60 — Migration Action Voi. VII No. 3 1985 unskilled jobs. Why attack instead the members, dedicated socialists or not, straw argument “that Australia, in contrast Poles Apart being thrown out of their jobs and to many other countries, should vastly positions, their children being denied increase its refugee intake”? Who ever Gloria Frydman access to tertiary education and an said this, anyway, and was he (or she) River Seine Publications, official anti-Semite propaganda campaign drunk at the time? which blamed Jews for Poland’s The philosopher Popper argues that the Melbourne, 1984, R.R.P. $8.50 economic problems. People left because claim other people have on us is "a claim' they could not stay — in fact the to be given all possible help, if they suffer”. Gloria Frydman, her husband Karol and government encouraged them to go. There is more to ethics than that, but their two sons, spent six months in Poland Gloria Frydman and I could find plenty Dr Routley’s ethic as fo rm u la te d gives too in 1981 at a time of political ferment and more to argue about. But she claims to little weight to the claims of sufferers. economic and social instability. Her have written a provocative book so she’ll Australia’s Special Humanitarian grandmother had left Poland last century; be pleased to know that it provoked me. Programme, under which we receive Karol left when he was 15 and was “going Imbedded in some of the book are quite victims of persecution and war who are home” twenty-three years later. stereotypical assumptions: "Now I not refugees in the strict legal sense, has This book, originally titled “Going understood why I married a Pole, to been used to admit a considerable Home”, details her thoughts and counter balance those sterile Anglo-Saxon number of torture victims, so many that experiences. Like all travellers she took roots.” Others that struck me were about the Australian Section of Amnesty with her the baggage of her own marriage, technology, life in cities and the International is co-ordinating efforts to expectations, prejudices and rat race of Western society. treat them now they are here. One feels presuppositions. Some of these she is An over exaggerated descriptive style that if Dr Routley had been told this detail aware of, such as the desire to find in leads to over the top comments like “that of our intake policy, he would have defined Poland “new human beings who aspire to one hasn't lived until one has tasted a his position in a more sympathetic way. higher goals than the material”, but others Polish doughnut”. Silly statements as All this is not a deny that there are limits permeate her book without any conscious when describing Lazienki Park in Warsaw to the number of migrants Australia should acknowledgement. she says: “ Its grounds contain a genuine take. There are limits because, beyond The desire I had to argue with Gloria Greek amphitheatre built in 1790 . . .” some level, immigration will certainly Frydman as I read Poles Apart can partly should have been eliminated by a good cause income per head to rise less fast be attributed to the fact that I was born editor. than it otherwise would. A further limit is in Poland and I too went home in 1979, What does come across very well in set by the fact that just at present, though for a much briefer time. We may this book is the feeling of any stranger in unskilled immigration probably reduces as well have gone to two different a new country whether tourist, like Gloria job opportunities for people here now who countries apart from seeing the same Frydman was, or migrant, of being 'like a are unemployed. scenery and being irritated by the same fish out of water’. The isolation and These considerations impose a ceiling queues. alienation that comes from not being able for immigration which by the standards of I found a supposedly socialist country to understand signs or what people say; the 1960s is low. Environmental which had bigger class divisions and the way her inability to communicate implications matter, but they do not differences of status and income than always frustrates and sometimes defeats necessitate putting the ceiling any lower. Australia. She found “a socialist society her, and the unmet needs for friendship Rather are they grounds for saying that (in which) a coal miner often earns more and belonging, are powerfully conveyed. the coming rise in Australia’s population than a physician, as wages and one’s work Poles Apart, perhaps, tries to be too strengthens the case for firm conservation ethos are determined by the community’s many things at once. As a travel book it measures, a case that would still be needs”. I noticed that cities were compares Warsaw with Paris and prefers strong even if our population had festooned with large banners exorting the Warsaw because it’s cheaper for tourists. stabilised. populace to work hard for socialism, that As an analysis of life in contemporary Kenneth Rivett factories displayed in front photos of that Poland it lacks any background context or month’s ‘best workers’ but that everyone knowledge of Polish history and politics. (Kenneth Rivett is a Visiting Fellow in I spoke to was openly cynical about the As an individual account of life in a foreign Economics at the University of New South system being irrelevant to their needs. land it remains interesting and Wales) Gloria Frydman, in contrast, was annoyed provocative. with those who “grizzled” and found that Poles complain and grumble about Renata Singer everything. She accepts that part of the rise of Solidarnosc is because Polish (Renata Singer is a project officer with youth have not been educated properly in CHOMI) socialist values, whereas I thought they were trying to close the gap between the rhetoric and reality of socialism. She makes her husband’s parents sound like fools to have ’chosen’ to leave Poland for Australia in “a moment of madness” in 1957. She implies that her parents-in-law, and the other Polish Jews, who left in the immediate post-war period, in the late 50s and again in the late 60s, left for material reasons. Throughout there are scattered comments about how well Karol fits in and how happy he would have been had he stayed in Poland. These remarks suggest a total lack of knowledge of why Polish Jews left at these different periods. Each period coincided with Jews, whether Communist Party

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 61 Old Worlds and New Australia. The Post-War Migrant Experience Janis Wilton and Richard Bosworth Penguin R.R.P. $8.95

This book promises much and delivers a less than satisfying account of "the post­ war migrant experience”. Wilton and Bosworth create an historical backdrop for the central drama of emigration by examining the old world that the migrants left behind. At centre stage are Australia’s changing immigration policy, migrant stories of their “odysseys” from the old world to the new, their work, homelife, culture, and politics in the old and new Wilton and Bosworth also fail to deal in view of the migrant experience, does not worlds. This sounds like excellent fare. a systematic fashion with the issue of how shatter old myths or stereotypes. Rather, But this is, as it turns out, a rather migrants have adjusted (or not adjusted) it perpetuates some old prejudices. Take wordy and superficial drama. to their new country. How have family for example, the stereotype of the Part of the book’s inadequacy comes structures and lifestyles changed? Has southern Italian as an ignorant peasant. from the fact that it is so Eurocentric. It divorce, mental illness, domestic and Wishing to dispel any romantic notions says little about migrants from Asia, the other types of violence increased among about peasant life, the book reminds us Middle East or the Americas. Even the the various migrant groups? (We learn only that in Sicily during the 1950s, poor youth chapter inelegantly entitled “Reffos' Old that Italians are less violent than the did not know what was meant by “ Italy”, and New” dwells on the post-World War II community at large and take care of their “America”, or “the Pope” ; and that Italian refugees and only in passing mentions own mentally ill). What are the particular villagers were convinced that the five the Indo-Chinese, Lebanese and Chilean problems of migrant women, who often neighboring villages were full of peasants refugees of recent years. Thus, the feel more uprooted than the men, who who were (1) struck by evil spirits, (2) migrant experience we learn about is often find it more difficult to learn English, mentally retarded, (3) cuckolds, (4) primarily European, primarily Italian. This and who often go out to work for the first perfumed and (5) gangsters, (p. 63). might have been appropriate to describe time upon migrating to Australia? In the Nevertheless, the book does make an the "migrant experience” of five or ten chapter on work, the experience of impassioned plea for multiculturalism to years ago, but certainly not of today. women, and in particular their reliance on replace assimilationism as the goal for Old Worlds and New Australia shies “outwork”, is hardly touched upon. policy-makers; for them not to substitute away from analyzing the migrant a pro-Australian neo-nationalism for the experience in any systematic way. The Oral histories — the personal evidence old cultural cringe or pro-British fetish. As result is an impressionistic, repetitive, of migrants — help to make this an the authors point out, because migrants rambling and over-written piece. For occasionally absorbing story of the have until recently been the “quiet instance: the book suggests that the migrant experience. The memories of Australians", the post-war immigration has government’s motivation for increasing what it was like during World War II, what made for an odd revolution, whose impact post-war migration was to (f) improve it was like coming to Australia, to live in will be felt more in the future than at the Australia’s defence position (against the the camps, to find employment, to search present moment. This brings up many 'yellow peril') and (2) to draft workers. But for the Australian dream of a home and questions. What will multiculturalism then we hear no more about how this a car and an education for the children mean to Australia? And, for that matter, policy has affected the migrants or make fascinating reading. But oddly why have so many migrants failed to, or Australian society generally. Only the enough, this impressionistic evidence is simply refused to, assimilate? Why has the vaguest references are made to the not documented. What are the sources of “village mentality” failed to break down current very high levels of migrant these personal stories and photographs here as quickly as it did in the United unemployment, to the fact that migrants scattered throughout the book? Janis States? Is Australia perhaps a more were brought over to provide “factory Wilton was in charge of collecting these tolerant society than nineteenth century fodder”. Substantive and statistical oral histories and it seems strange that America? Is cultural nationalism stronger evidence is noticeably lacking in many she does not provide more information now than fifty or a hundred years ago? Or areas besides this one. More information about where and from whom these stories is the idea of the melting pot really a myth is needed about the socio-economic come. — both here and in America? backgrounds of migrants, levels of On one level Bosworth and Wilton try education, mobility patterns, to raise our awareness of the historical Linda Bowman concentration of migrant groups in or out situation of migrants and Australia's of ghettos, employment, income blatantly racist immigration policy. But (Dr. Bowman is currently the Oral distribution, and numbers of migrant despite its aim, Old World and New Histories Consultant for the Ethnic Affairs women working. Australia does not provide an alternative Commission.)

Page 62 — Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 CHOMI Update

CHOMI is properly housed, at last! In April 1985 a Nguyen Cong Te is involved in all aspects of printing and major event in the life of CHOMI occurred with the official production of CHOMI publications and Hua Thieu Tran opening of our new building. CHOMI has acquired the is our clerical and library assistant. old factory next door, paid for it (on borrowed funds), CHOMI has been involved in the innovative Combating refurbished it and moved in. Prejudice In Schools Project since its inception early in The new building was officially opened by both the 1984. As data comes in from the Project CHOMI will be Commonwealth Minister for Immigration and Ethnic publishing it. The first two publications of the Combating Affairs, Chris Hurford, and the Victorian Minister for Prejudice in Schools Project are now available. Ethnic Affairs, Peter Spyker — a gratifying indication of Identifying Issues and Implementing Strategies by the importance attached to CHOMI. In keeping with Kathy Skelton reports on the findings and results of the CHOMI’s tradition of encouraging lively debate, Professor first year of the Project. (Price $3.00 plus postage). John Power of the Department of Politics at Melbourne Combating Prejudice in Schools Bibliography by Kati University presented a provocative address: “How to Sunner — CHOMI’s Librarian — brings together Make Our Immigration Policies Less Vulnerable”. (This is theoretical writings, strategies attempted in Australia and now available as Multicultural Australia Paper Number overseas, and other relevant material on this issue. (Price 40 at $2.00 plus postage). $5.50 plus postage). CHOMI now has a larger, brighter library, an office for NEW SERIES staff and a production room which holds CHOMI stock, CHOMI has inaugurated a new series Policy Action our computer and all our printing equipment. With Papers fora Multicultural Society. This series focuses increasing numbers of people using our library and with on specific policy issues in relation to migrants and ethnic our publishing program becoming more prolific we can minorities in Australia. The first paper in this series is offer a one-stop open access resource centre on Rehabilitation and Migrants by John Kalisperis, immigration and ethnic affairs. All that is left is to pay Romans Mapolar and Renata Singer. This paper looks at for the building. what rehabilitation programs migrants need and how the To go with our new home we have a new logo! Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service can best respond to these needs. CHOMI MEDIA WATCH - THE PRESS CHOMI’s unique collection of newspaper clippings on all aspects of the migration and refugee experience in' HOMI Australia has now been catalogued and bound. Clippings CLEARING HOUSE ON date from 1969 and cover many topics including: MIGRATION Immigration Policy, Migrants and the Law, ISSUES Multiculturalism, Ethnic groups in Australia, Refugees and many more. CHOMI plans to publish selected and annotated news clippings on particular topics. The first of these — Migrant Women: Press Views, 1969-83 — It’s all part of our new marketing strategy designed to is now available. (Price $4.00 plus postage). increase our effectiveness, and our income. The first Part of this unique collection is also available on publication to reflect this is our MAIL ORDER microfiche. Multiculturalism in Australia 1972-83, with CATALOGUE, completely redesigned and just printed. It’s over 250 items on 4 microfiche, for $200 for the complete available now at $2.00 plus 90c postage. set. CHOMI has just begun a new CEP Project. With three The last issue of CHOMI das was a very special one workers over the next six months we will be able to — our tenth anniversary edition. Something to celebrate provide a better, more effective service. Christine as this documentation and abstracts service is still the Wedgewood will assist with making CHOMI more widely best guide in Australia to data on immigration, ethnic known to the community at large and will be looking out affairs and multiculturalism. for new material for publication. Get in touch with her Renata Singer if you have anything you think CHOMI should publish. CHOMI PROJECT OFFICER

Migration Action Vol. VII No. 3 1985 — Page 63 HOMI CLEARING HOUSE ON MIGRATION ISSUES M ailorder Catalogue