Upwards, Downwards or Just Round and Round: Multicultural Public Policy in Australia

Abstract

Some years ago I foolishly predicted that the battle for multicultural ism in public policy was almost won.¹ Today it seems more reason able to divide the history of official multiculturalism into three phases, all rather neatly lasting for five years. Between 1973 and 1978 there was the ‘euphoric phase’. Launched by Al Grassby and enthusiastically supported by Gough Whitlam, multiculturalism was awarded bi-partisan consensus by the Galbally Report of 1978.² In between were the migrant worker’s conference of 1973, the forma tion of the major Ethnic Communities’ Councils in 1975 and the rapid development of ethnic media and political pressures. The next phase, from 1978 to 1983, might be termed one of ‘consensual consolida tion’. Multiculturalism was enthusiastically endorsed by the Fraser Liberal—National coalition, which set up the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs (1979) and began multicultural television (1980). While the ALP Opposition was critical of some aspects, it was fully committed to the general policies based on Galbally, promising only to sustain and improve them. Then began the third phase, which might be termed one of ‘disillusion and retreat’. This has lasted since 1983 and, if the five-year cycle means anything, is now giving way to something else. Whether this will usher in a five-year period of ‘total abandonment’ or simply of ‘total confusion’ (or something else) cannot be scientifically predicted. But there is no doubt that multicul turalism in public policy is being fought over both between and within the parties. Perhaps this phase (starting fortuitously with the Fitz gerald Report on immigration policy in June 1988) will see many of the issues which seemed resolved becoming controversial and even bitterly contested.³