NSW Community Relations Commission
You only need to take a walk through the streets of Sydney to be reminded of what a multicultural society we live in today. People from all nations now call Australia home. Their contribution to society has enriched our nation. Our diversity is a great asset. Yet life in a multicultural society is not always easy. Creating a harmonious community from people of all the cultures of the world takes considerable effort. We need to learn to understand and value one another, and celebrate our diversity, while at the same time respecting and valuing Australia’s cultural heritage. This process can be fraught with difficulties, and will only be possible if all members of the community participate.
I would like to draw your attention to one way you can get involved. The Community Relations Commission, established by the New South Wales Government in 2000, exists to support our multicultural society. It recognises the cultural, linguistic, ethnic and religious diversity of New South Wales, and seeks to encourage every member of the community to play an active part in society.
One of the Commission’s main services is a 24 hour interpreting and translating service that provides on-site interpreters for nearly 80 languages. Language is a major barrier that prevents people from non-English speaking backgrounds participating in society and accessing government services, so having an interpreter can make the world of difference in their lives.
The Commission has also formed links with a range of community organisations to promote understanding and mutual respect. One way they do this is by providing grants to community organisations to run projects that support their communities, and promote harmony and understanding between communities.
More recently, the Commission formed a Community Harmony Reference Group to look at ways of preventing discrimination of people as a result of international events, such as the Bali bombings and the war in Iraq. As a result, the Commission set up a hotline that allowed members of the public to report any incidents of abuse or harassment they had experienced because of these events.
The Commission also supports the Youth Partnership with Arabic Speaking Communities initiative. This program involves both Muslim and non-Muslim Arabic speaking youth. The purpose is to provide a wide range of opportunities for young people, including mentoring and leadership programs for young members of the Arabic speaking community, as well as the opportunity to have their say on issues affecting their lives. This younger generation are our society’s future, so programs like these are important in building strong community relations.
It would be easy to brand the Community Relations Commission as another example of government bureaucracy, unable to really change anything for the better, but it does represent a commitment to multiculturalism and promoting harmony in our community. These efforts will only succeed if we all do what we can to contribute to a better understanding between all members of our society.
You can find out more about the Community Relations Commission at their website: www.crc.nsw.gov.au.
GORDON MOYES
