The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government not-for-profit organization registered as a company limited by guarantee. This composite submission is framed by the questions asked of contributors to the national debate for the Australia 2020 Summit. The Institute has developed short statements relating to the ten panels. Each of these has been lodged on-line with the appropriate panel.

The Panels instituted by the government are:
* Productivity Agenda – education, skills, training, science and innovation
how, in the process, can employers draw on the most dynamic sources of new talent and potential, including migrants and new communities?
* Australian Economy – the future of the Australian economy
* Sustainability and Climate Change – population, sustainability, climate change and water
* Rural Australia – future directions for rural industries and rural communities
* Health – a long-term national health strategy – including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population
* Communities and Families – strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion
* Indigenous Australia – options for the future of Indigenous Australia
* Creative Australia – towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design
* Australian Governance – the future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens
* Australia’s Future in the World – Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world

1. Productivity and Education
The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. The Productivity agenda should address the following priorities:
a) recognise the cultural dimensions of the processes of economic and educational marginalisation and exclusion;
b) stress the importance of bi-lingualism as a major potential contributor to educational success, and economic innovation, and therefore develop and implement a wideranging national language policy
c) recommend that a national policy on cultural diversity is absolutely crucial for the attraction and retention of talented creative people, as identified in the debate about creative cities and their role in global competition
d) recognise and act on the critical importance of placing cultural diversity at the centre of all government policies relevant to education and productivity, which increases thereby the commitment and involvement of our culturally diverse population
e) ensure that “evidence-based” policy debate always includes questions about cultural diversity and its implications, unlike the background papers for this panel
f) recognise the way in which the digital divide is culturally-inflected, affecting older working class limited educational people whose first language was not English particularly harshly, as has already been done in relation to Indigenous people
g) ensure strategies on student retention address questions of racism and its role in marginalizing Indigenous and some ethnic students, undermining their self-confidence and consigning them to marginal employment and limited lifetime opportunities
h) specifically address the issues in early childhood education as they affect families and children from cultures in which English is not the first language
i) ensure Australia’s pre-school, school, TAFE and university curricula have a real understanding of our cultural diversity and its role in our future.

2. Australian Economy

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. The agenda on the Australian economy should:
a) recognise the crucial role that Australians from culturally-diverse backgrounds do play in Australia’s economy, and accept that this role could be further enhanced through greater recognition of their value
b) insist on the values of fairness and opportunity are fully extended to all Australians, and in particular, ensure that the research is carried out to identify and thereby inform policy designed to overcome barriers that limit the opportunities for Indigenous and ethnic communities
c) recognise that future wellbeing will depend on raising the level of human capital, and ensure that economic planning uses parameters of cultural diversity to gauge success
d) in relation to cyberindustries, ensure that Australia’s cultural diversity is fully explored and incorporated into the development of content for education, entertainment, government and commerce
e) recognise the way in which the digital divide is culturally-inflected, affecting older working class limited educational people whose first language was not English particularly harshly, as has already been done in relation to Indigenous people
f) recognise that Australia’s future population demand will be increasingly have to be met by immigration, which may include more transitory short term entrants with their special cultural and social needs, and global nomads whose cultures Australia will need to recognise and respect
g) establish a national migration planning council with a wideranging stakeholder base to encourage public debate and participation, and advise government on the basis of research evidence
h) support the establishment of a national network (such as through the ICD and its partners) to research, involve, disseminate and encourage best practice in commerce and industry, civil society, and government, in relation to cultural diversity .

3. Sustainability and Climate Change

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. Sustainability is a central concern of all Australians, including those of Indigenous communities and those from non-Anglo backgrounds. It is unfortunate that there exists a current in Australia, hopefully now only a small minority, that sees immigrants as a threat to sustainability. The Institute proposes that:
a) the government recognises that social sustainability is as important as environmental and economic sustainability, and requires good evidence based research for the development of appropriate policy – this research has not been forthcoming in the past decade
b) the government recognises the crucial role of ethnic community and Indigenous organizations in building awareness of and capacity to implement practices for an environmentally and socially sustainable future
c) all levels of government recognise and value the way Indigenous and ethnic communities use place, and support the interactions necessary to ensure positive intercommunal relationships develop and are sustained
d) government population research includes extensive projects that chart the experiences and implications of population change for Indigenous and ethnic communities, including issues about family formation, fertility, ageing and lifestyle/consumption
e) more sophisticated understanding of cultural diversity is evident in government policy papers, including the intensifying or ameliorating effects of cultural diversity on key population issues.

4. Rural Australia
The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. Rural Australia is the setting for many of the most important issues in contemporary Australia. It is the home for significant parts of the Indigenous community and many urban Indigenous people still identify strongly with their places of origin in rural areas. Rural areas are also places of first settlement for many immigrant and refugee arrivals, while also being home to descendants of earlier immigrants from across the world. The Institute believes that special attention needs to be paid to rural sectors of Australian society to ensure that they can benefit from cultural diversity, and develop economies that thrive on their productive diversity. We wish to propose that:

a) a rural cultural diversity task force be established across three levels of government and in conjunction with Indigenous, ethnic and other community organizations, to research the issues associated with rural communities, and develop recommendations to enhance productive diversity
b) the government’s social inclusion agenda should specifically identify diverse rural communities that require whole of government intervention and support to ensure productive futures
c) the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission should be charged to develop strategies for rural communities that build intercultural understanding and collaboration between Indigenous, refugee, immigrant and established sectors of local communities, with the lessons gained communicated widely as best practice.

5. Health
The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. As part of its charter the Institute addresses the situation of Indigenous communities as part of a culturally diverse society. We are particularly concerned with the process of reconciliation, and in the current period, with the challenges identified by the government in relation to Indigenous health. In this regard we note the importance “Closing the Gap” campaign, and the resources that are implied by the government’s goals of ensuring health justice for Indigenous people. We would propose therefore that:
a) the Forum affirm the priority role accorded to Indigenous health issues and in particular the issues of infant mortality and reduced longevity well-recognised by government and advanced by Indigenous advocates
b) the government review its resource commitment and ensure that the $450 million shortfall is covered in its budget allocation.

6. Communities and families

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. Cultural diversity has particular importance in relation to strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion. While much of the recent discussion has focussed on poorer marginalised families as the heartland of the problems, it is important to recognise that cultural diversity affects the experience, capacities, resources, and opportunities that families and individuals can bring to their situations. This is particularly the case where social class and ethnic discrimination intensify the problems that people experience. The Institute therefore argues that:
a) the debate about social inclusion should pay particular attention to Indigenous Australians and those from more marginalised ethnic groups with higher levels of poverty, unemployment, welfare dependence and mental health issues
b) research on social exclusion/inclusion should ensure that it provides evidence of cultural diversity and its implications
c) social development programs should ensure that they address both community capacity building (bonding social capital) and collaborative cross-community projects (bridging social capital)
d) policies on ageing should ensure equity in relation to ethnic communities, especially where strong ethnic community organizations do not exist
e) the continuing tension between ethno-specific and mainstream service provision should be resolved through careful planning that ensures both are available as appropriate to the needs of clients
f) the delivery of community-based programs should respect the religious views of individuals and also the views of those who do not wish religiously-inflected service delivery
g) education and training of third-sector workers relevant to the community should be embedded in understanding of and working with culturally diverse populations
h) government funding of organizations to work on community and family issues should require a cultural diversity statement, covering clientele, programs, and volunteers/employees.

7. Indigenous Australia

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. The ICD Board is truly Australian, involving Indigenous, immigrant, refugee, and settler origin Australians. The Institute along with the vast majority of Australians welcomes the government’s apology, and encourages the “after Sorry” initiatives being called for by Indigenous and other groups across the country. In doing so we wish to propose that:
a) the government develops, legislates and implements a charter of rights that foregrounds the place of Indigenous Australians as the original owners of the land, and addresses their rights to protection of cultural heritage, and full participation in Australian society. This might be done by way of a preamble to the Constitution and by specific legislation on rights for all Australians.
b) the government recognises the importance of understanding and addressing the realities of racism in Australia, and to do so on the basis of solid research evidence about attitudes, prejudices and misunderstandings. In doing this we urge the government to release the 1997 report prepared for the former government on Australian attitudes to Indigenous people and other non-Anglo communities. Furthermore the government should sustain an ongoing research process that monitors Australian values and attitudes and incorporates the findings into community education programs aimed at reducing racism
c) the government places an understanding of cultural diversity centrally in its conception of contemporary Australia, and recognises Indigenous rights to culture as part of the broad UNESCO charter on cultural rights
d) the government particularly supports efforts of civil society organisations to build links between Indigenous and Anglo, non-Anglo and newly arrived communities, to ensure that the wider community has a sustained appreciation of Indigenous cultures and priorities
e) there is widespread recognition of the importance of recognising and preserving Indigenous culture and knowledge as a source of value for the whole society
f) ensure that education in Australia weaves an understanding of Indigenous knowledge, culture and experience across the curriculum.

8. Creative Australia

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. The Institute is currently developing a national web-based forum on cultural diversity and the arts. From this perspective it is a matter of concern that cultural diversity does not appear to be identified as a core issue for the arts panel, and we wish to address this absence. While recognising the important place of Indigenous culture as part of Australia’s cultural diversity, the government has remained effectively silent on the role of other non-Anglo cultures.

The Institute recognises the critical role played by “creative cities” as part of economic development – in generating creative industries, building on Australian creativity, and attracting creative people from around the world. We note that the creative cities literature stresses the importance of cultural diversity and the role given to valuing and facilitating the creativity that emerges when cultures interact. We note the central role that diversity has been given in the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and regret that Australia has yet to accord cultural diversity the same centrality in Arts policy. Australia’s future will become increasingly diverse, with immigration increasing and younger generations more “multicultural” than those before them. The Institute is also aware of the role that the arts can and should play in building “bridging social capital” and in producing the enormous energy that is released through hybrid cultural experimentation.

The Institute wishes to propose that:
a) the government produce a statement on cultural diversity and Australian identity, and ensure that this takes full cognisance of the broad range of the arts and creativity, and the full range of cultures in Australia
b) the arts culture and heritage functions currently spread widely should be brought together in a Ministry of Culture, such as that in New Zealand, with its core business the promotion of the value and values of cultural diversity within an integrated national framework and identity
c) SBS be seen not just as an international and multilingual broadcaster, but as a model for contemporary Australian production, as demonstrated in its many local productions
d) the development of digital arts technologies ensure full involvement from across the diversity of Australia, so that an Arts-divide does not reinforce any pre-existing culturally-inflected Digital-divide
e) the government support the development of national conversations about cultural diversity and the arts, and ensure the wide dissemination of ideas about innovation, documentation of projects, and opportunities for collaborative partnerships.

9. Governance

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. The Institute strongly supports the idea of active citizenship, through which all citizens are enabled to contribute fully as they desire to the debates, processes and institutions associated with government. We recognise however that for many Australians – Indigenous, immigrant, refugee and otherwise socially marginalised – the opportunities for active citizenship are very limited. In part we believe this limiting of opportunity is the result of Australia being one of the few western societies without a charter or bill of rights, which in other places often recognise that cultural diversity for some groups remains a potential barrier to their participation. We support an inclusive deliberative democracy that recognises the part that our diverse peoples can play. The Institute proposes that:
a) Australia develop, legislate and implement a charter of rights, including rights (but not compulsions) associated with cultural diversity,
b) Australia signs onto and implements UNESCO conventions on cultural rights and heritage
c) The government stimulate widespread discussion of the role of the media and the online environment in promoting inter-cultural understanding and communication, and the danger inherent in the dissemination of material that intensifies inter-racial and cultural hostility
d) The government complete the agenda associated with the 1966 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to which Australia is a signatory, and introduce criminal sanctions against the promotion of racial, ethnic and religious hate
e) The government support the development of national networks (online) to promote the discussion of issues and best practices associated with human rights, and to contribute to evidence-based contributions to deliberative democracy
f) The government incorporates into national education curricula materials on cross-cultural understanding, with the aim of improving the citizenship skills of all young Australians
g) The government ensure that all its significant program and consultation advertising is proportionately directed towards media in languages other than English.

10. Australia’s future in the world

The Institute for Cultural Diversity is a national non-government organisation dedicated to the promotion of cultural diversity as the basis for a democratic, creative and productive Australia. The Institute welcomes the recognition in 2020 of Australia as a multicultural society in its global context, and wishes to ensure the implications of this awareness are fully realised. We wish to propose that:
a) the role of cultural diversity in the presentation of Australia in the world be enhanced
b) the government reasserts Australia’s historic role as an exemplar of good practice in cultural diversity, and ensures a whole-of-government approach in policy and program development, in order to justify such claims
c) the government should set policy goals of bi-lingualism for all young Australians, encompassing both trade and community languages as being of equal worth
d) Australia recognises that concerted action on mobilising our cultural diversity will play a crucial role in our future economy and diplomatic effectiveness.