Queensland is home to hundreds of cultures and our great diversity should be supported and fostered to our advantage.
Multiculturalism is one of the Smart State's great strengths, in terms of our workforce, communities, business and trade.
Our inclusive culture and our capacity to celebrate difference are being supported by my government through increased funding for the Multicultural Assistance Program and strategies to promote and utilise our diversity.
We want to:
We have an opportunity and an obligation to ensure that every Queenslander, irrespective of their cultural background, enjoys the benefits of life in the Smart State.
Please join with my government in building on our multicultural achievements and enhancing harmony and equity.
Peter Beattie MP Premier and Minister for Trade January 2005
Queensland is a dynamic and diverse society with many cultures, languages and religions.
The Queensland Government acknowledges the special position of the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of the land and recognises their rich diversity in cultures and languages and contribution to Queensland.
People from all over the world have come to call Queensland home. The State is growing rapidly and cultural diversity is increasing. One of our great strengths is our diverse community.
Queenslanders are increasing their contact with diversity due to the greater global movements of people, business and trade developments, travel opportunities, advancements in communications and information technology.
Since 1998, the Multicultural Queensland Policy has guided our efforts to maximise the benefits our cultural diversity offers. As a strengthened Queensland Government policy commitment, Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference is a new blueprint for how to best manage this ever-increasing diversity for the economic and social well-being of all Queenslanders.
As a policy, multiculturalism promotes social justice and equity for disadvantaged non-English speaking communities, women and young people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and newly arrived refugees and migrants. It also fosters economic development and participation by supporting skilled migrants, people with multilingual skills and people with overseas connections and by nurturing cultural capital. Multiculturalism also underpins community cohesion by raising awareness of the benefits of diversity and promoting respect for difference.
The Queensland Government will promote equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities for all Queenslanders, regardless of their cultural, ethnic, religious background or gender. It will continue to foster an inclusive, cohesive and open society so that everyone is:
Multiculturalism is for everyone - all Australians are expected to:
Through Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference, the Queensland Government upholds these values:
We are committed to Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference and will implement it through these strategies:
Productive diversity economic strategy Our diversity is one of Queensland's greatest assets both for social and economic benefits. We have a highly educated, skilled, multilingual and culturally diverse workforce which contributes to developing Queensland as the Smart State. Migrants have made enormous contributions to the community in areas such as business, arts, culture, trade, agriculture, tourism and education. Successful management of multiculturalism involves capturing the economic advantages of our cultural and linguistic diversity. Language skills, knowledge of overseas markets, overseas contacts and expertise in cultural protocols can be valuable tools to businesses wanting to develop a competitive advantage. To embrace this notion of 'productive diversity', Queensland Government agencies will:
In time this could lead to:
Supporting communities
Queensland communities need support if they are to meet future local and global challenges. The Queensland Government acknowledges that working collaboratively with a range of partners is an effective way to deliver services and outcomes to Queenslanders.
Under Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference, partnership opportunities will be sought with community organizations to foster a greater acceptance of multiculturalism.
The Queensland Government will support diversity by providing:
In time this could lead to:
Strengthening multiculturalism in the Queensland public sector
Queensland Government agencies are significant employers of Queenslanders. These government agencies also develop State policies and legislation, deliver services and programs and form partnerships with community groups and organisations. In this context, Queensland Government agencies need to ensure issues of cultural diversity and multiculturalism are addressed strategically. This strategy aims to improve the Government's delivery of service and how it incorporates diversity into its core business.
The strategy will involve:
CEO leadership - multicultural performance indicators will be incorporated into CEO performance agreements and progress on performance will be reported directly to the Premier. CEOs will take an active role in providing leadership in delivering relevant portfolio outcomes under Multicultural Queensland -making a world of difference.
Departmental annual action plans - Queensland Government departments will develop annual multicultural action plans identifying key priorities and outcomes that will be delivered through Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference. Progress on outcomes will be reported to Government and in agency annual reports.
Action teams - teams will be formed to develop, assist with and oversee the implementation of departmental multicultural action plans. The action teams will be sponsored by a Deputy Director-General or equivalent.
Evaluation and continuous improvement - departments will establish key priority projects and areas, resource allocation, performance milestones and an evaluation mechanism to measure progress towards achieving outcomes under the policy. This will ensure that multicultural best practice initiatives can be sustained and strengthened over time.
Reporting - Departments will report on the progress of their multicultural action plans in their annual report, and Multicultural Affairs Queensland will coordinate a report to Government on the implementation of Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference.
In time this could lead to:
Community relations and anti-racism strategy
There is a need for enhanced understanding of cultural diversity and a greater sense of belonging among all Queenslanders particularly in times of global instability and conflict. Community harmony and stability are dependant upon our people feeling they are accepted as part of the community. The community relations and anti-racism strategy will help Queenslanders overcome social exclusion, more readily contribute to the State and will create greater community awareness of the value of cultural diversity.
The Queensland Government is committed to building a cohesive society which accepts and respects cultural diversity through:
In time this could lead to:
The effective implementation of Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference will require the commitment, resources and efforts of various sectors in the community and individual Queenslanders. The Queensland Government is committed to driving the multicultural agenda in its various roles as leader, policy-maker, fund distributor, service provider and employer. It will also work with local and federal governments, the business sector, tertiary education sector, institutions and the community to ensure everyone plays a part in helping Queensland realise the benefits of multiculturalism.
The Government will also ensure the public sector plays its part and all Queensland Government agencies will have clear responsibilities in the implementation of Multicultural Queensland - making a world of difference. An annual report will be presented to Government to ensure progress is on track and any adjustments required to the policy are made.
Multicultural Affairs Queensland will:
Queensland Government agencies through the leadership of each Director-General will:
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©The State of Queensland (Multicultural Affairs Queensland) 2008