a multicultural History of Australia
Making multicultural Australia
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Period: Towards the New Millennium »
Commentary on: At the crossroads »
Prof Andrew Jakubowicz.
Text Commentary
The challenges of diversity...
Into the 21st century - choosing our direction
Australia in the 21st century has come to a crossroads in its development. Never before have the potential directions been so clearly opposed, and the decisions about which way to move so heavily laden with emotion and argument. Multiculturalism means many different things, and is interpreted from many different positions. At this point you can choose to move down one of the roads we have drawn on the map. There may well be other ways of pulling together the great diversity of perspectives - we feel the four we offer here provide you with a sense of the core arguments testing themselves in society. These directions reflect different interests, different histories and different ideas about the nature of Australian society.
Here are four ways Australia might move into the future, and what they might mean:
Social Justice
Multiculturalism is concerned with ensuring that members of minority groups play a full and active role in the wider society, that they do not experience discrimination or segregation, and that the government redirects public resources to ensure a more equal and just society, through more access for ethnic groups. Over time everyone changes a bit to be more open and engaged. Racism remains a major social problem to be addressed. Government actively intervenes to ensure better access and equity, and to combat racism.
Productive Diversity
Multiculturalism realises cultural and linguistic diversity is a resource to be built on, through the development of new ideas, new ways of seeing the world and each other, new products, and the export into the world of high quality products produced by the synergies of interaction between communities. Intolerance and prejudice are wasteful and economically counterproductive. Culture is a commodity to be nurtured and exploited. Government actively intervenes to enhance the community’s use of its cultural resources for further economic development.
One Nation
There is no problem with cultural differences, except where they challenge the core values of Australian society. Australia is not a racist society, though some people have rather extreme views, which they are free to hold and express. The core values and beliefs are precious and should not be undermined or changed. Over time, new immigrants can retain those parts of their heritage that do not interfere with the core values of the old society. Government has a limited role in supporting the preservation of heritage, but should not seek to force changes on the older society.
No Difference
The traditional values of white Australia are paramount. Australians are tolerant, but do not want to see their values eroded. Newcomers choose to be Australians and therefore should assimilate, and leave all their old ways behind. Racism does not exist - it’s only a label used to prevent debate. Minority lobby groups should not have the ear of government, which should do no more than insist new migrants learn English. Citizenship, with its obligations to conform to the old ways, not residency, is the basis of all rights. Immigrants with different values should be kept out of the country, and those here should assimilate, or leave.