Since introducing the Racial Discrimination Act in 1973, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) has championed multicultural policy as a cornerstone of Australian values and social cohesion.

The ALP launched a Multicultural Engagement Taskforce to engage multicultural Australia to help inform, with as many voices as possible, Federal Labor’s policies and the role of multiculturalism in social cohesion and Australian identity.

The taskforce examined policies affecting multicultural communities including: 

• quality of access to Commonwealth government services
• current support provided in the areas of small business, entrepreneurship and innovation
• barriers and needs regarding access to Commonwealth government services (focusing on multicultural business advisory services)
• networking and partnership opportunities that help link community groups to Commonwealth government services.

In examining these areas, the taskforce reflected on the broader role of the Commonwealth government in securing a more inclusive society and economy.

Peter Khalil MP, Chair, and Anne Stanley MP, Secretary, led the taskforce.

You can read the taskforce's report here.