| The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) welcomes the Federal Government's confirmation of its election commitments to multicultural Australia in the 2022/23 budget. The organisation is pleased to see $1 million allocated to the Multicultural Policy Framework Review, a key ask in FECCA's policy platform. "FECCA has borne witness to years of multicultural policy being neglected and ignored, and the very real impact this has had on communities. We are hopeful that the review is the first step in reversing this trend," said FECCA Chairperson, Carlo Carli. "To maintain Australia's successful multicultural legacy and build a strong future where everyone can belong and thrive equally, we require a robust and coordinated whole of government approach. The consequences of the piecemeal and superficial approach of recent years were laid bare during the COVID-19 response and must not be repeated." "As well as the Multicultural Policy Framework Review, we are also encouraged by the funding to improve the migration program and develop a National Anti-Racism Strategy. FECCA looks forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure that all these processes have the voices of multicultural community members at their core." FECCA also welcomes a number of other important initiatives in the budget including funding for Community Language Schools Grants and increased flexible delivery options for the Adult Migrant English Program. However, there is more to be done to ensure that Australia fully embraces the potential of its growing diversity. As the recent census has affirmed, our future is multicultural and the government must ensure that policies and programs are in place that reflect this reality. "This budget is a good start, but FECCA looks forward to the May 2023 Budget delivering a much more comprehensive range of announcements for multicultural communities." said Mr Carli. "We have been heartened by this government's acknowledgment that to successfully address the challenges and opportunities for our nation, including fixing the skills shortage, building the needed care workforce and responding to environmental disasters, community capacity must be prioritised. This commitment must move beyond rhetoric and be backed up by substantial funding for multicultural community organisations across the country." "FECCA also urges the government to deliver on its promise to improve Australia's refugee policies including by expanding the size of the humanitarian program." The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) is the national peak body representing people from multicultural communities and their organisations across Australia. Through the membership of state, territory, and regional councils, we represent over 1500 community organisations and their members, as well as thousands of individual members. |
