Multicultural Australia - Myths , Realities and Arguments

The author discusses the relationship of parts of Australian society to the concept (and policy) of multiculturalism. While about forty years ago Australians emphasised their 98% British origin, today they often claim that Australia is »the most multicultural country in the :world«. Yet although large cities such as Merbourne, Sydney, Adelaide or Perth have become truly cosmopolitan, the author states that Australia is not as multicultural as is sometimes thought. About 8'5% of the population speaks only English, which is much less than in Canada, the country from which Australia imported the concept of multiculturalism. The meaning of this concept was not fully delermined in Australian practice, ,so it was often confused with multirasism, which helped the arguments of rasists. Yet multiculturalism was a generally accepted principle between 1974 and 1982. 'Reaction began after this period. Opposition to multi .. culturalism grew even though minority groups in general did not present a social problem, did not threaten dominant Anglo-Australian culture and, with the exception of the Aborigines, did not take a militant stance i:n seek1ng 1special rights. Among the reasons for this the author mentions the growth of the number of »Visible<< Asians in Australia, the entry of second generation Europeans into better status jobs and neighbourhoods, which increased their »Visibility<<, the New Right resurgence, a slow-down in the rate of economic expansion, a crisis in traditional values, opposition to Labour government and dissipation of the reforming zeal of the 1970s. At the end of the article, the author claims that multiculturalism was a response to a major strand in the Australian cultural tradition, i.e. to the idea that Australia was a tolerant and liberal society where everybody was to get »a fair go<<. However, opposition to multiculturalism was a}so a part of .~ustralian cultural inheritance, which included fear of difference and of disturbing external influences.