As I look forward to the new millennium, I feel confident that Australia despite some dark clouds showing in the horizon can produce a bright rainbow, providing a concentrated spectrum of colours embracing the many and diverse ethnic communities which can make this nation of ours, a greater country than ever before.
In the global sphere we are now witnessing a new Information Technology revolution which is having a great impact on the way we can provide and receive knowledge.
At the same time the way we communicate and with whom we communicate is so overwhelming that I am sure social networks are now or will soon be moving beyond the traditional grassroots associations.
What is important here is that in the area of community organisation and community development the opportunities for expansion of civic engagement as part of the concepts of participatory democracy and Social Capital are enormous .
Most of you have heard of Eva Cox and her 1995 Boyer Lectures on the concepts of Social Capital and her actions to to bring this to the forefront of the national social debate. And was Robert D Putman in 1993 (The Prosperous Community: Social Capital and Public Life - The American Prospect No 13, Spring 1993) who defined Social Capital as "the norms and networks of civil society to enable groups of citizens to cooperate for mutual benefit (and for broader social benefits) and which may allow institutions to perform more productively".
Social Capital is what the social philospher Albert O. Hirschman calls a "moral resource", that is, a resource whose supply increases rather than decreases through use and which, unlike physical capital, becomes depleted if not used.
Studies of the rapidly growing economies of East Asia almost always emphasise the importance of dense social networks, so that these economies are sometimes said to represent a new brand of "network capitalism". These networks, often are based on the extended family or on close-knit ethnic communities that foster, trust, speed information, communication and innovation; which in turn is translated into strong communities and more vigorous economies.
Conversely, governments which neglect or undermine their social infrastructures and social functions can go seriously wrong.
In this context - and here is were the dark clouds come - Australia over recent years has been dominated by economic theorists and more recently by demagogue political opportunists, whom totally disregard the legitimacy of governments in achieving social cohesion and the recognition that the intersection of social and economic spheres are the key to sustainable human development.
Economic rationalists have now for too long dominated our national debate and it is paramount that we bring to the forefront of Australian social and political agenda, the concepts of Social Justice, Access and Equity if we want to achieve a fairer society.
However, I am encouraged by the accurate impression in Local Government that in terms of Access and Equity and Local Ethnic Affairs Policy Statements (LEAPS), Local Councils have had a better record than state and commonwealth agencies. This also has been reinforced by the history of support from the Department of Local Government, the Local Government and Shires Associations and the Local Government Community Services Association.
There are now 18 out of the top 20 Councils with NESB population which have an Access and Equity policy or a series of strategies addressing this issue. Also 25 out of the top 35 provide some services for NESB people.
I would like now to give some specific examples of Councils strategies on different ways that they communicate with residents from NESB.
Wollongong City Council developed in 1990 a LEAPS policy which ensures access and equity to all residents of Wollongong regardless of culture, language or religion. This policy is complemented by an Ethnic Community Profile which gives on overview of the population living in the Wollongong Local Government area.
In order to meet Councils LEAPS goal, Divisions are required to formulate and implement Corporate objectives and strategies.
The Corporate objectives include:
* Appropriate signage in Council buildings
* Language ID charts at all customer service counters
* Awareness training in dealing with customers from a NESB for staff
* Language Assistance is provided to customers
* Services use relevant technology
* Written translations based on requirements and available resources.
These objectives are considered each year and appropriate strategies are developed. For example in 1996/97 a general Council services brochure was published in eight community languages. In 1997/98 investigations are underway regarding the usage and feasibility of a multi-lingual information touch screen for the foyer. This objective will also take into consideration the needs of residents with disabilities.
In addition, Business Plan objectives and strategies are developed. For example, some of the 1996/97 initiatives included:
* Waste Management - provide information regarding waste collection in NESB
community languages.
* Emergency Services - produce and distribute information pamphlets into major
community languages relating to bush fire safety and preventative measures.
* Library & Cultural Services - survey customers who speak a community language about
their needs in relation to the community languages section of the library.
* Administration & Information Technology - advertise Councils Language Aid Service
in the ethnic services available in Wollongong.
* Children's Services - training for Child Care Workers on accessing and utilising
translators. Endeavour to employ bilingual Child Care Workers. Promotion of children's
services through ethnic media.
* Youth Services - implemented two targeted programs for young people from a NESB.
* Ensure the Wollongong Youth Centre's Entertainment and Marketing Committees will
reflect the current population of young people in the Wollongong LGA.
Council has implemented and adopted a number of standards for the organisation to better meet the access and equity requirements of its residents. For example, Wollongong City Council has a number of language aids which are available to assist other employees in answering enquiries from people who do not speak English well or at all.
Standard procedures have also been adopted to assist employees in accessing interpreter services if the language aid is not available. In addition, all front desk staff have training in accessing language aids, interpreters and translation services and languages identification charts prominently displayed.
Council also has standard information on the back of the Council letterhead paper in the key community languages. This information informs residents of the process in accessing both Council and the Telephone Interpreter Service. When general information, such as rates notices or recycling campaign information, is sent out and the information is not on official Council paper, a basic information slip is included identifying that the information as important.
It is now standard that all Divisions must have objectives and strategies in place in order to meet the access and equity policy.
Fairfield City Council has since May this year being offering a WindowInfo Information Booth in Freedom Plaza.
Since its installation it has proved a great resource for the community. 9000 messages have been accessed - that's an average of 100 per day! Currently 20 Council information messages are stored in the booth and these are available in 4 spoken languages; English, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Importantly, this system provides access to vital information outside of normal office hours. In fact, the weekend is the busiest time for the booth with an incredible 41% of enquiries made on Saturdays and Sundays.
Council is now considering offering space on the WindoInfo Booth to Community Groups and Information agencies operating in the Fairfield City area. Given its visibility, ease of use and accessibility to residents of non-english speaking background, the booth will be a very valuable communication tool.
Advertising rates are modest and spaces are provided for a trial period of 6 months. Council provides full statistical analysis of the booth's 24 operation - you can see exactly how many times each message is played, in what language, what day, and the time of day accessed.
Another example of course is the Marrickville Council process in consulting the community as part of its Management Plan for 1997-2000.
This year particular emphasis was placed on increasing the level of community consultation in the management planning process:
* a special eight page edition in the "Marrickville Matters"provided translation in 5
languages of the major elements of the Management Plan and invited written
submissions on any aspect of the Plan; public meetings were advertised through the
relevant community language press, key service organisations and press releases to
community radio
* over 1000 written invitations were issued to community groups to participate in public
forums on the Plan;
* one major and five community language forums (Greek, Portuguese, Vietnamese,
Arabic, Chinese) were held.
*Council's Draft Management Plan (and Strategic Plan, Draft Social Plan, and Environmental
Strategy) contain a number of references and targets for enhancing community consultation.
The specifics for achieving this will be determined as part of the development of new
communication and consultation policies to be put before Council in the 1997/98 year.
* Development of the new communication/consultation policies is to include consideration
of the options for introducing a precincts system in Marrickville.
* A review of Council's Local Ethnic Affairs Policy Statement is to be undertaken with
local ethnic groups to discuss how Council can best relate to people from non-English
speaking backgrounds.
* A review will be undertaken of the linkages between the various council plans, prior to
a community survey on the Strategic Plan scheduled for this month.
Moreover, Marrickville has initiated this year a Community Policy to ensure that the Marrickville community understands the role of Council, its programs, services and initiatives that it undertakes.
The Policy Statement reads:
1. Council will communicate its activities to the Marrickville community in an open and
effective manner.
2. Council will pay particular regard to the community's linguistic and cultural diversity
in communicating with the people of the area.
3. The communications policy will be implemented through the development of strategies
across a number of areas:
* 3.1 generating an awareness within the community of the operation, programs,
services and initiatives of Council;
* 3.2 communicating in a co-ordinated, consistent and effective manner; and
3.3 meeting statutory obligations in communicating with residents, ratepayers and
the wider community.
These are small number of examples of Councils with high number of NESB which have developed direct strategies to achieve greater communication with members from different ethnic backgrounds.
However, there are some Councils which because they do not have a significant number of NESB people within their communities have had little involvement in policies and programs dealing with cultural diversity.
The example of Kiama Council in grasping this challenge has indeed provided a great opportunity for bringing together a wide spectrum of ethnic and anglo celtic groups and individuals together to appreciate their own unique contribution to this nation of ours.
Kiama is quite distinct from the rest of the Illawarra in relation to its population ethnicity, with only 3.9% or 706 people born in a non-english speaking Country.
Nonetheless Council's goals include in its Management Plan:
*To provide an efficient and effective delivery of services which is responsive to the
community's needs, and
*To promote the principles of access, equity and social justice in the development of Council
services.
Moreover, one of its Community Services objectives is to encourage multicultural awareness and cross-cultural sensitivity in the Municipality.
In this regard many of the children, youth, aged and cultural programs include the involvement and participation of people from NESB with the wider community.
Some examples of regular Council's Community Services programs which have incorporated multicultural awareness strategies include:
* Regular Children's story time at the library bringing people from NESB to read and
dramatise stories from other cultures.
* Youth Forums to discuss youth issues relating to ethnic tolerance.
* Regular exhibitions as part of Council's Cultural Development programs bringing to the
town artists from diverse ethnic communities.
* Music and Drama activities are included in the program of Carnivale involving together
the anglo celtic community with artists from NESB.
I haven't had time to outline many of the other programs which more and more Council's are now embracing to address the issue of wider communications with people from NESB.
What is important here is that, in these times when economic rotionalists have taken almost full control of central government and social justice imperative is no longer recognised, Local government have a great opportunity to take a stronger leadership stand in re-shaping the future of our communities and increasing multicultural tolerance.
Councils on one hand, can develop social policies aimed at the enhancement of quality of life, independence and wellbeing of all its residents; providing social justice, access and equity principles.
Furthermore, the availability of today's technology should be used to ensure that local civic networks can be strenghened to allow this to go beyond our immediate neighbourhoods and across cultural groups.
In this regard we must be minfull on the role which public libraries and libraries resurces can play in informing and allowing the exchange of information within and among individuals and organisations as part of the rapid transition from printed to digital information.
At the same time we must ensure that those residents who do not have the means to have this new technology at their homes, they can access it through our libraries and public infrastructures.
The old cliche that local government is the level of government closest to the people, is not only a truism but also the last bastion of participatory democracy which can pursue a fairer Australian society; regaining ethnic tolerance and social cohesion.
What makes Australia a great nation is not only its capacity for economic growth but also the opportunities to increase its Social Capital. By equiping all its citizens with better skills and learning capacities for dealing with cultural, economic and technological changes and by enhancing political participation.
By developing strategies and providing the tools which will allow all the diverse cultural groups which form our many and different communities to better communicate and participate, we can built stronger networks, solid civic assets which will bring social progress and economic opportunities and in turn we, all Australians can have a fair go and a fair say.
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