NEMBC EB Spring 2006

The Ethnic Broadcaster - The Ethnic Broadcaster Contents Spring, 2006 Features Regulars Sharing the good and the bad….a word from Tangi Steen President’s Pen.....................................................................3 roaming the USA!................................................................5 Tangi Steen discussed good practises for ethnic Executive Officer’s Report..................................................4 broadcasting Youth..............................................................................23-24 The United Nations..........................................................6-7 Youth Awards information and application form & the United Nations Day 2006; Thanks go out to broadcasters. Culture Shock launch Media resources from the UN and the UNAA Media Peace Awards ceremony are outlined. What’s happening at your station?.............................26-27 4EB (QLD)/ The Pulse (Geelong, VIC) / Radio NAG Digital Radio Symposium...................................................8 (Yeppoon, QLD) Developments in digital radio. Women...........................................................................30-31 Know your Rights.......................................................9 Living Spirit: Muslim women & human Rights. And Stress Your rights and the new IR laws. management techniques that target the Arabic community Australian Gay Multicultural Council (AGMC).......10-11 CBF News.........................34 A report on the AGMC conference which addressed issues of gay people from culturally diverse communities. 3CR, 855AM.......................................................................12 Reaching Out to African Communities Free ride for SBS and ABC.............................................13 Lee Hubber discusses advertising disparities between SBS, the ABC and community broadcasters Removing the Welcome Mat?...........................................14 Peter van Vliet talks about the citizenship debate Broadcast & Management Training in the Community Radio Sector........................................................................15 NEMBC Strategic Planning..............................................16 Outcomes & information Conference Information..............................................17-20 Draft Program, Registration form & Information. Tony Manicaros Award 2006.......................................21-22 Guidelines and application form Material World..................................................................25 The experiences of refugees viewed through artistic expression ‘Broadening the Horizon’..................................................28 Multicultural Mental Health (Perth, WA) We welcome contributions to The Ethnic Broadcaster, especially from NEMBC Members. The Multicultural Broadcasting Council of the Northern Submit to: admin@nembc.org.au Territory Celebrates 25 Years!.........................................29 NEMBC Office and Contact Details: Postal: P.O. Box 1144 A life in Limbo: Living on a Temporary Protection Visa. Collingwood VIC 3066 Comments from Amnesty International..........................32-33 Phone: (03) 9486 9549 Fax: (03) 9486 9547 Email: admin@nembc.org.au Website: www.nembc.org.au - The Ethnic Broadcaster President’s Pen Once again we are about to meet at our on citizenship based on the belief that the proposed Annual Conference and AGM in Albury- residential and language tests are not justified. They Wodonga. The main issues for the NEMBC are punitive and discriminatory as they would exclude to consider are to improve the service to our people who have been accepted as residents, and meet all members and to stand up for multiculturalism. citizen responsibilities. Learning more or better English is obviously extremely important. Instead of threatening and The September strategic planning week-end involved the punishing migrants Governments should put more, not less, Executive, staff and a member of EGAC. They developed into language teaching program in schools and workplaces. some important ideas of how to place the NEMBC in a more effective position in terms of policies, processes and The NEMBC will emphatically state that what Australia management to better inform and involve members and needs most in terms of equality of rights, national cohesion others in the affairs and activities of the organisation. The and unity is the re-enforcement of multiculturalism, through conference and the A.G.M. will provide the opportunity to diversity of vision and policies, not it’s undermining. discuss and decide on plans and priorities (details in other pages). The relevance and strength of the NEMBC relies I look forward to seeing as many delegates as possible at the above all on the ability and opportunity of broadcasters and conference. their communities to have an effective presence and voice in the stations they broadcast from. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Community Broadcasting Foundation and the Victorian and New South The Federal Government’s proposal to raise the bar Wales Governments for their generous support of this for citizenship has caused serious and widespread conference. concern for the rights of migrants and the functioning of multiculturalism. The Government wants migrants to wait George Zangalis, for four years, instead of the current two year period, before NEMBC President they can apply for citizenship. It also wants to introduce a language and “Australian values and history” test in addition to what has existed for the last forty years. NEMBC Executive In taking out Australian citizenship, migrants make a formal commitment in English to conform with the countries President: George Zanglis, VIC constitution and laws, and to the values of freedom and Vice-President: Victor Marillanca, ACT democracy. The government has failed to explain why Treasurer: Luchi Santer, NT Secretary: Tangi Steen, SA their additional hurdles are required when all the evidence Members: Jiselle Hanna, VIC demonstrates that language difficulties have not prevented Nick Dmyerko, QLD hundreds of thousands of migrants from contributing to the Osai Faiva, NSW growth and welfare of the nation. Such migrants have taken Anthony Colombo, NSW Nikola Nikolich, WA out Australian citizenship in greater numbers than English Judith Ventic, NT speaking migrants from England, Canada or New Zealand. Marie-Josee Barnes TAS The White Australia policy has been a “core” value for the NEMBC Staff Executive Officer: Tim Tolhurst greater part of the last century. Although overtaken by the Administration Officer: Anouska Teunen realities of multiculturalism, the nation is not yet free of Youth Officer: Marijana Bosnjak prejudice and fear of the new and different. As to Australian Membership Co-ordinator: Bronnie Robinson history, should tell not only of Captain Cook and the Bookkeeper: Denis West British settlement, but also when and how the first waves The Ethnic Broadcaster Coordinator & Designer: of Greek, Italian, Chinese, Arab and Spanish among many Anouska Teunen others, came to this country. All migrants have added value to Australian society; alongside the all-too-often ignored Journal Printers: HIGHLIGHT PRINTING PTY. LTD. indigenous peoples place in building this country, who The Ethnic Broadcaster is the Journal of the National had to wait until 967 to be recognized as citizens of this Ethnic & Multicultural Broadcasters’Council (NEMBC). country. The views expressed in The Ethnic Broadcaster are not necessarily the views of the NEMBC. The NEMBC is responding to the Governments’ proposals The Ethnic Broadcaster - 3 Executive Officer’s Letter. vilification and political opportunism. The people who bear the brunt of that are generally migrants. In recent times Muslim communities know that only too well. The NEMBC annual conference is fast approaching. You For the last 35 years Australia has lived with the doctrine of find all the travel and accommodation information you need multiculturalism. It is now under siege. Up until the 990’s in this edition of the Broadcaster. This year the conference it had bipartisan support in the Australian Parliament and theme will be around citizenship values. One of our keynote most public polling showed a very high level of public speakers, Mr Stepan Kerkyasharian, the Chairperson of the acceptance. Its central values of tolerance and respect for NSW Community Relations Commission will be speaking difference and access to opportunity have contributed about this issue. As a person who has spent many years at hugely to the image of Australia as an harmonious and SBS Radio and the Ethnic Affairs Commission he is sure prosperous place. Despite our unreconciled relationship with to have some interesting views on the appropriateness of the Indigenous people of this country, Australian society “values” and their impact on immigrants and the community has a reputation for racial and religious tolerance that is the in general. envy of many countries. Diversity is something that has been accepted by most people and as such it has led to an The Howard government and the Minister for Multicultural incredible richness of ideas, creativity and energy. Affairs, Mr Andrew Robb, have whipped up a storm about a proposed citizenship test which will include a There are still “Wogbashers”, and whilst the Cronulla requirement to commit to Australian values and an English riots remain an appalling example of violent racism, test. The current arrangements in place since 948 include these things are not indicative of a nation wide

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