Multicultural Policy: A Critical Analysis of Australia's Approach

This essay provides a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of Australia's multicultural policy. It begins by outlining the policy's objectives, which include fostering national unity while acknowledging cultural diversity. The essay explores the historical context of the policy, its impact on immigration, education, and healthcare, and the government's efforts to combat discrimination. It discusses the policy's successes, such as improved international relations and economic benefits, and also critiques its limitations, particularly concerning the potential for cultural fragmentation and unequal empowerment. The author suggests improvements, such as a focus on a unified approach to education and healthcare, and concludes by emphasizing the importance of adhering to and revising the multicultural policy to achieve national goals. References include key academic sources that support the arguments presented.

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL POLICY 1
Multicultural policy
Student
Institution

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Multicultural policy
Australia has moved a long journey of cultural diversity to the extent of declaring the aspect of
multicultural upbringings as a policy. The Australian government multi cultural policy targets to make
Australia a great nation that acknowledges all people in spite of their race gender and ethnicity. In the real
sense, about four million residents of Australians are foreign born yet they have appreciated their living in
the country hence compelling the government to treat all people especially without disregarding their
cultural identity. The government shows energy and the moment of unwavering commitments towards
ensuring that all particular cultural identities are acknowledged through the provision of any form of
assistance wherever the need arises. Basing the argument on the fact that Australia shares more than two
hundred and sixty cultural identities, the government has come realization that recognizing different
people In a special way without discrimination is the key to the achievement of national goals and
objectives. In particular, Researching, reviewing and developing critiquing the Australian Government
Multicultural policy will be helpful in assessing the suitability of specific laws concerning the betterment
of future lives of Australians.
According to Gražulis and Mockienė (2017), the multi cultural policy hints at equitably making
access to services. In this case, the government has noticed a wide range of differences arising from
cultural diversity particularly in areas pertaining education, provision of health services and employment
forums. Firstly, Australia is not planning to curtail immigration and acquisition of nationality because
foreigners come with new ideas that help to shape the economic well being of the nation. In the education
sector, the government has recognized the fact that European system of education is the right academic
forum aimed at improving the lives of Australian due to its market demand. However, the Aboriginals are
not willing to embrace the uptake of academics taught by the non-indigenous Australians. Therefore, the
multicultural policy identifies and recognizes such a difference and lends a hand by instituting ethno-
specific service agencies so that Aboriginal tutors can take over the teaching role of their indigenous
persons. Follari (2015) posits that the health sector also records a high level of discrimination among
various cultures hence pushing the government towards making steps that are absorbable to all people
without favoritism. In such a manner, living standards of every citizen will be heightened.
The government of Australia encourages trade and investments emanating from the multicultural
diversities by postulating that the benefits reaped from such a move cannot be estimated. It is true that
immigrants come with needed labor force as well as right skills to be applied in the growing economy
(Keddie, 2014). From a distance, the government has observed that multicultural diversity has given birth
to prosperity and economic surfacing in the society. One of the advantages of multicultural policy is that

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there has been the improvement of international relations as well as the emergence of new trading routes.
For example, Australians with European origin are bound to make their mother nation strengthen trading
bonds with Australia hence benefiting the country by greater heights. Also, the multilingual aspect of the
workforce in Australia implies that specific employees and can be good ambassadors of economic
prosperity within and outside the nation hence giving Australia a competitive advantage in the global
economy.
The government of Australia in its multicultural policy aims to strengthen acceptance and
understanding while strictly responding to issues regarding discrimination and expression of intolerance.
It is no doubt that, racism has spread to the minds of Australian to the extent of depriving people of their
peace (Scarino, 2014). It is true that each ethnic group in Australia has the right to exercise their values
without any form of objection. It that matters the government of Australia accepts the notion that
understanding and apparent acceptance among the people is the ultimate wheel that will propel their
living standards forward. For example, the health sector has been one of the areas that emerge to be the
center of attention. It makes no sense for a patient to leave a hospital unattended reason being that he or
she belongs to a particular race (Ng & Metz, 2015). To ensure that multicultural policy is laid on stable
grounds the government has put across the force of the law such that punitive actions are taken against all
those who promote discrimination and other related behaviors. To ensure that there is strict adherence to
the force of law, the government of Australia in its policy puts into consideration national anti-racism
partnership and strategy (Ho, 2013). For that matter the national anti-racism partnership approach gains
grips by working with human rights department, citizenship and immigration department collectively
under the surveillance of race and discrimination commissioner. In short, curbing discrimination will
transform Australia into a prosperous nation.
The government of Australia is committed to promoting fair and just participation of its citizens
based on their lingual aspect equitably. The multicultural policy dictates that with just faith and
willingness, the government is ready to offer opportunities to its people that are bound to make them
socially, culturally and economically stable (Jakubowicz & Ho, 2014). Irrespective of the fact that there
has been the collision of agendas that targeted specific groups for participation, the game has changed
after the government has noticed the difference. In such a case, every Australia despite their origin will be
offered equal opportunities so that they can feel valued and appreciated. To strengthen participation,
Australian government seeks to come up with a new initiative Australian multi cultural Council (AMC) to
bridge linguistic and cultural barriers for equity emergence.
Hugo (2014) postulates that the multicultural policy puts into consideration the need to have all

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races represented at regional and national level. In such a case, a government has allowed for the
multiparty system whereby various identities have the opportunity to raise elect their person of choice in
an attempt to air and articulate their grievance at a national level. Currently, Australia is a home of
twenty-two million citizens, a significant number to evoke a multiparty system for a fair representation
(Noble & Watkins, 2014). In the real sense, it is not possible to allow for one party system in a country
like Australia since the marginalized population will be left behind in sharing the national bread. As a
result, it is acceptable to embrace the multicultural policy and acknowledge its directives regarding
making Australia a multi-party nation for proper articulation of grievances of every citizen.
In spite of the many positive contributions of multicultural policy by the Australian government,
some few areas form the basis for critique. Similarly, some areas attract the urge to make improvements
while others fully qualify to suit the needs of the Australians. Ueffing, Rowe, and Mulder (2015) suggest
that declaring Australia as a multi-party system is not a constructive way of doing things. Instead, such a
move is deemed to cultivate the enlargement of cultural differences among natives thus facilitating
backward movement of the nation. From the personal point of view, I would support a one party system
to take care of the interests of citizens as a whole. To elaborate further on that point, a multiparty system
will do no good to the notions that every identity will be represented; an issue that will end up being a
mere fiction. One thing to consider is that the Australian government is more of an entrepreneurial than a
politically oriented nation (Modood, 2013). For that matter, it tends to focus its attention more on the
areas that are economically sustainable while disregarding marginalized zones that are believed to be
wasteful as far as the economic prosperity of the nation is concerned. In support of this critique, even
though all cultures are represented, people are unequally empowered hence questing the quality of
services to be offered at an individual level. Precisely, opting for a single party system and disregarding
local government while entrusting national government to take care of the well-being of the citizens is the
only way every individual will enjoy the taste of a national cake.
Acknowledging every culture concerning different treatments regarding matters of national
concern such as education and provision of healthcare services is a way of tearing down Australia to the
extent of hindering national success and prosperity. However much the Australian government would
want to curtail discrimination, they will be doing zero work if at all education and health care concerns
will not be addressed as a single undertaking for all the citizens. That is, schools and healthcare units
designated for the aboriginals and non-natives should be abolished and instead focus on the fruitful
interaction of all races under those social aspects of lives. All that the government should concentrate on
is ensuring that discrimination is zero rated in all facets of life among different people and focus on
preaching togetherness for the achievement of a single goal (Walsh, 2014). Therefore, sharing same

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schools, same medical attentions, and other related social amenities will hasten peaceful coexistence
among people. On the other hand, the multicultural policy stresses much on equal participation and
enforcement of the law to curb discrimination. Such initiatives match well with the expectation of citizens
hence their presence should be acknowledged.
In conclusion, it is factual that the Australian government has critically examined the reasons
underlying drawing of multicultural policy. The government has been at the forefront in ensuring that
discrimination is contained in Australia to make the place a better living for everyone. Precisely,
adherence to existing specifications of multicultural policy and revision of the areas as mentioned above
will enable Australia to achieve all its national goals.

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References
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(2016). The anti-bias approach in early childhood (3rd ed.)
Gražulis, v., & Mockienė, v. (2017). Multiculturalism through the prism of history: experiences and
perspectives and lessons to learn. Human Resources Management & Ergonomics, 11(1).
Ho, C. (2013). From social justice to social cohesion: a history of Australian multicultural policy. 'For
those who've come across the seas': Australian multicultural theory, policy, and practice.
Hugo, G. (2014). Change and continuity in Australian international migration policy. International
Migration Review, 48(3), 868-890.
Jakubowicz, A., & Ho, C. (Eds.). (2014). ‘For those who’ve come across the seas...’: Australian
Multicultural Theory, Policy and Practice. Anthem Press.
Keddie, A. (2014). Australian multicultural policy: Social cohesion through a political conception of
autonomy. Journal of Sociology, 50(4), 408-421.
Modood, T. (2013). Multiculturalism. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ng, E. S., & Metz, I. (2015). Multiculturalism as a strategy for national competitiveness: The case of
Canada and Australia. Journal of Business Ethics, 128(2), 253-266.
Noble, G., & Watkins, M. (2014). The ‘schooled identities' of Australian multiculturalism: professional
vision, reflexive civility, and education for a culturally complex world. In Advancing race and
ethnicity in education (pp. 162-177). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Scarino, A. (2014). Situating the challenges in current languages education policy in Australia–unlearning
monolingualism. International Journal of Multilingualism, 11(3), 289-306.
Ueffing, P., Rowe, F., & Mulder, C. H. (2015). Differences in attitudes towards immigration between
Australia and Germany: The role of immigration policy. Comparative Population Studies, 40(4).
Walsh, J. P. (2014). The marketization of multiculturalism: Neoliberal restructuring and cultural
difference in Australia. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 37(2), 280-301.